Storage and retrieval system

ABSTRACT

An automated storage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous transport vehicle, a transfer deck that defines an undeterministic transport surface for the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, the transfer deck having multiple travel lanes, at least one vertically reciprocating lift, and at least one pickface handoff station connected to the transfer deck and interfacing between the at least one autonomous transport vehicle on the transfer deck and the at least one vertically reciprocating lift so that a pickface is transferred between the at least one vertically reciprocating and the at least one autonomous transport vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 14/997,892, filed Jan. 18,2016, (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,974,897), which is a non-provisional of andclaims the benefit of United States provisional patent application No.62/104,513, filed on Jan. 16, 2015, the disclosures of which areincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/966,978 filed on Dec. 11, 2015; United States patent applicationentitled “Storage and Retrieval System” and filed on Jan. 15, 2016;United States patent application entitled “Storage and Retrieval System”and filed on Jan. 15, 2016; United States patent application entitled“Storage and Retrieval System” and filed on Jan. 15, 2016; and U.S.provisional Patent Application No. 62/107,135 filed on Jan. 23, 2015,the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The exemplary embodiments generally relate to material handling systemsand, more particularly, to transport and storage of items within thematerial handling system.

2. Brief Description of Related Developments

Multilevel storage and retrieval systems may be used in warehouses forthe storage and retrieval of goods. Generally the transportation ofgoods into and out of the storage structure is done with lifts fortransfer to a vehicle on a storage level, vehicles travelling up rampsto a predetermined storage level, or with vehicles that include liftstraveling along guide ways. Goods stored within the storage andretrieval system are generally stored in storage spaces on each storagelevel such that a transport vehicle disposed on that level has access toone level of storage spaces. Generally, the lifts that transfer items toand from the storage spaces carry the vehicles between different storagelevels, are incorporated into the vehicles (such as with a gantry crane)or have a paternoster configuration where the lift payload shelvescontinually circulate around a frame at a predetermined rate.

It would be advantageous to increase a rate of item transfer to and fromthe different storage levels within a storage and retrieval systemindependent of the transfer vehicles that deliver the items to thestorage spaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiment areexplained in the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an automated storage and retrievalsystem in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic illustrations of portions of the automatedstorage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIG. 1C is a schematic illustration of a mixed pallet load formed by theautomated storage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of thedisclosed embodiment;

FIG. 1D is a schematic illustration of a portion of the automatedstorage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic illustrations of portions of the storageand retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic illustrations of portions of the storageand retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5 are schematic illustrations of portions of thestorage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of a transport vehicle in accordancewith aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 6A is a schematic illustration of a transport vehicle in accordancewith aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic illustrations of portions of the transportvehicle in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a portion of the storage andretrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 9A is a schematic illustration of a portion of the storage andretrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 10, 10A-10E are schematic illustrations of portions of thetransport vehicle in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 11-13 are schematic illustrations of portions of the storage andretrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 14-20 are exemplary flow diagrams in accordance with aspects ofthe disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a schematic illustration of an operator station of thestorage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment; and

FIG. 22 is an exemplary flow diagram in accordance with aspects of thedisclosed embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an automated storage and retrievalsystem 100 in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment.Although the aspects of the disclosed embodiment will be described withreference to the drawings, it should be understood that the aspects ofthe disclosed embodiment can be embodied in many forms. In addition, anysuitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used.

In accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment the automatedstorage and retrieval system 100 may operate in a retail distributioncenter or warehouse to, for example, fulfill orders received from retailstores for case units such as those described in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/326,674 filed on Dec. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety. For example, the caseunits are cases or units of goods not stored in trays, on totes or onpallets (e.g. uncontained). In other examples, the case units are casesor units of goods that are contained in any suitable manner such as intrays, on totes or on pallets. In still other examples, the case unitsare a combination of uncontained and contained items. It is noted thatthe case units, for example, include cased units of goods (e.g. case ofsoup cans, boxes of cereal, etc.) or individual goods that are adaptedto be taken off of or placed on a pallet. In accordance with the aspectsof the disclosed embodiment, shipping cases for case units (e.g.cartons, barrels, boxes, crates, jugs, or any other suitable device forholding case units) may have variable sizes and may be used to hold caseunits in shipping and may be configured so they are capable of beingpalletized for shipping. It is noted that when, for example, bundles orpallets of case units arrive at the storage and retrieval system thecontent of each pallet may be uniform (e.g. each pallet holds apredetermined number of the same item—one pallet holds soup and anotherpallet holds cereal) and as pallets leave the storage and retrievalsystem the pallets may contain any suitable number and combination ofdifferent case units (e.g. a mixed pallet where each mixed pallet holdsdifferent types of case units—a pallet holds a combination of soup andcereal) that are provided to, for example the palletizer in a sortedarrangement for forming the mixed pallet. In the embodiments the storageand retrieval system described herein may be applied to any environmentin which case units are stored and retrieved.

Also referring to FIG. 1C, it is noted that when, for example, incomingbundles or pallets (e.g. from manufacturers or suppliers of case unitsarrive at the storage and retrieval system for replenishment of theautomated storage and retrieval system 100, the content of each palletmay be uniform (e.g. each pallet holds a predetermined number of thesame item—one pallet holds soup and another pallet holds cereal). As maybe realized, the cases of such pallet load may be substantially similaror in other words, homogenous cases (e.g. similar dimensions), and mayhave the same SKU (otherwise, as noted before the pallets may be“rainbow” pallets having layers formed of homogeneous cases). As palletsPAL leave the storage and retrieval system 100, with cases fillingreplenishment orders, the pallets PAL may contain any suitable numberand combination of different case units CU (e.g. each pallet may holddifferent types of case units—a pallet holds a combination of cannedsoup, cereal, beverage packs, cosmetics and household cleaners). Thecases combined onto a single pallet may have different dimensions and/ordifferent SKU's. In one aspect of the exemplary embodiment, the storageand retrieval system 100 may be configured to generally include anin-feed section, a storage and sortation section (where, in one aspect,storage of items is optional) and an output section as will be describedin greater detail below. As may be realized, in one aspect of thedisclosed embodiment, the system 100 operating for example as a retaildistribution center may serve to receive uniform pallet loads of cases,breakdown the pallet goods or disassociate the cases from the uniformpallet loads into independent case units handled individually by thesystem, retrieve and sort the different cases sought by each order intocorresponding groups, and transport and assemble the correspondinggroups of cases into what may be referred to as mixed case pallet loadsMPL. As may also be realized, as illustrated in FIG. 21 , in one aspectof the disclosed embodiment the system 100 operating for example as aretail distribution center may serve to receive uniform pallet loads ofcases, breakdown the pallet goods or disassociate the cases from theuniform pallet loads into independent case units handled individually bythe system, retrieve and sort the different cases sought by each orderinto corresponding groups, and transport and sequence the correspondinggroups of cases (in the manner described herein) at an operator station160EP where items are picked from the different case units CU, and/orthe different case units CU themselves, are placed in one or morebag(s), tote(s) or other suitable container(s) TOT by an operator 1500,or any suitable automation, in a predetermined order sequence of pickeditems according to, for example, an order, fulfilling one or morecustomer orders, in which the case units CU are sequenced at theoperator station 160EP in accordance with the predetermined ordersequence, noting that the sequencing of the case units CU as describedherein effects the sequencing of the case units CU at the operatorstation 160EP.

The in-feed section may generally be capable of resolving the uniformpallet loads to individual cases, and transporting the cases viasuitable transport, for input to the storage and sortation section. Thestorage and sortation section in one aspect receives individual cases,stores them in a storage area and retrieves desired cases individuallyin accordance with commands generated in accordance to orders enteredinto a warehouse management system, such as warehouse management system2500, for transport to the output section. In other aspects, the storageand sortation section receives individual cases, sorts the individualcases (utilizing, for example, the buffer and interface stationsdescribed herein) and transfers the individual cases to the outputsection in accordance to orders entered into the warehouse managementsystem. The sorting and grouping of cases according to order (e.g. anorder out sequence) may be performed in whole or in part by either thestorage and retrieval section or the output section, or both, theboundary between being one of convenience for the description and thesorting and grouping being capable of being performed any number ofways. The intended result is that the output section assembles theappropriate group of ordered cases, that may be different in SKU,dimensions, etc. into, in one aspect, mixed case pallet loads in themanner described in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/654,293 filed on Oct. 17, 2012, (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,965,559), thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety,while in other aspects the output section assembles the appropriategroup of ordered case units, that may be different in SKU, dimensions,etc. into bags, totes or other suitable containers according to thepredetermined order sequence of picked items at the operator station160E (such as to e.g., fill a customer order).

In one aspect of the exemplary embodiment, the output section generatesthe pallet load in what may be referred to as a structured architectureof mixed case stacks. The structured architecture of the pallet loaddescribed herein is representative and in other aspects the pallet loadmay have any other suitable configuration. For example, the structuredarchitecture may be any suitable predetermined configuration such as atruck bay load or other suitable container or load container envelopeholding a structural load. The structured architecture of the palletload may be characterized as having several flat case layers L121-L125,L12T, at least one of which is formed of non-intersecting, free-standingand stable stacks of multiple mixed cases. The mixed case stacks of thegiven layer have substantially the same height, to form as may berealized substantially flat top and bottom surfaces of the given layer,and may be sufficient in number to cover the pallet area, or a desiredportion of the pallet area. Overlaying layer(s) may be orientated sothat corresponding cases of the layer(s) bridge between the stacks ofthe supporting layer. Thus, stabilizing the stacks and correspondinglythe interfacing layer(s) of the pallet load. In defining the pallet loadinto a structured layer architecture, the coupled 3-D pallet loadsolution is resolved into two parts that may be saved separately, avertical (1-D) part resolving the load into layers, and a horizontal(2-D) part of efficiently distributing stacks of equal height to fillout the pallet height of each layer. In other aspects the load fill ofmixed cases may be configured in any other suitable ordered sequence andmay be loaded on or in any suitable transport device such as, forexample, one or more bag(s), tote(s), shopping carriage(s), truck(s) orother suitable container(s) fill without palletization. As will bedescribed below, the storage and retrieval system outputs case units tothe output section so that the two parts of the 3-D pallet load solutionare resolved, while in other aspects the storage and retrieval systemoutputs case units to the output section according to a sequence forfilling non-palletized item picking sequence orders at the operatorstation 160EP. The predetermined structure of the mixed pallet loaddefines an order of case units, whether the case units are a singularcase unit pickface or a combined case unit pickface provided by thesortation and output sections to a load construction system (which maybe automated or manual loading). The term load fill section/station orload fill cell (used interchangeably herein and generally referred to asa load fill section) refers to either a pallet load fill section/cell(such as for the creation of a mixed pallet load MPL) or an itemizedload fill section/cell as described with respect to FIG. 21 .

In accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment, referring againto FIG. 1 , the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includesinput stations 1601N (which include depalletizers 160PA, operatorstations 160EP and/or conveyors 160CA for transporting items to liftmodules for entry into storage) and output stations 160UT (which includepalletizers 160PB and/or conveyors 160CB for transporting case unitsfrom lift modules for removal from storage), input and output verticallift modules 150A, 150B (generally referred to as lift modules 150—it isnoted that while input and output lift modules are shown, a single liftmodule may be used to both input and remove case units from the storagestructure), a storage structure 130, and a number of autonomoustransport vehicles 110 (referred to herein as “bots”). As used hereinthe lift modules 150, storage structure 130 and bots 110 may becollectively referred to herein as the storage and sorting section notedabove. It is also noted that the depalletizers 160PA may be configuredto remove case units from pallets so that the input station 1601N cantransport the items to the lift modules 150 for input into the storagestructure 130. The palletizers 160PB may be configured to place itemsremoved from the storage structure 130 on pallets PAL (FIG. 1C) forshipping.

Also referring to FIG. 2A, the storage structure 130 may includemultiple storage rack modules RM, configured in a three dimensionalarray RMA, that are accessible by storage or deck levels 130L. Eachstorage level 130L includes pickface storage/handoff spaces 130S(referred to herein as storage spaces 130S) formed by the rack modulesRM where the rack modules include shelves that are disposed alongstorage or picking aisles 130A which, e.g., extend linearly through therack module array RMA and provide access to the storage spaces 130S andtransfer deck(s) 130B over which the bots 110 travel on a respectivestorage level 130L for transferring case units between any of thestorage spaces 130S of the storage structure 130 (e.g. on the levelwhich the bot 110 is located) and any of the lift modules 150 (e.g. eachof the bots 110 has access to each storage space 130S on a respectivelevel and each lift module 150 on a respective storage level 130L). Thetransfer decks 130B are arranged at different levels (corresponding toeach level 130L of the storage and retrieval system) that may be stackedone over the other or horizontally offset, such as having one transferdeck 130B at one end or side RMAE1 of the storage rack array RMA or atseveral ends or sides RMAE1, RMAE2 of the storage rack array RMA asdescribed in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/326,674filed on Dec. 15, 2011 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

The transfer decks 130B are substantially open and configured for theundeterministic traversal of bots 110 across and along the transferdecks 130B. As may be realized, the transfer deck(s) 130B at eachstorage level 130L communicate with each of the picking aisles 130A onthe respective storage level 130L. Bots 110 bi-directionally traversebetween the transfer deck(s) 130B and picking aisles 130A on eachrespective storage level 130L to access the storage spaces 130S disposedin the rack shelves alongside each of the picking aisles 130A (e.g. bots110 may access storage spaces 130S distributed on both sides of eachaisle such that the bot 110 may have a different facing when traversingeach picking aisle 130A, for example, referring to FIG. 6 , drive wheels202 leading a direction of travel or drive wheels trailing a directionof travel). As noted above, the transfer deck(s) 130B also provide bot110 access to each of the lifts 150 on the respective storage level 130Lwhere the lifts 150 feed and remove case units to and/or from eachstorage level 130L and where the bots 110 effect case unit transferbetween the lifts 150 and the storage spaces 130S. As described above,referring also to FIG. 2A, in one aspect the storage structure 130includes multiple storage rack modules RM, configured in a threedimensional array RMA where the racks are arranged in aisles 130A, theaisles 130A being configured for bot 110 travel within the aisles 130A.The transfer deck 130B has an undeterministic transport surface on whichthe bots 100 travel where the undeterministic transport surface 130BShas more than one juxtaposed travel lane (e.g. high speed bot travelpaths HSTP) connecting the aisles 130A. As may be realized, thejuxtaposed travel lanes are juxtaposed along a common undeterministictransport surface 130BS between opposing sides 130BD1, 130BD2 of thetransfer deck 130B. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, in one aspect the aisles130A are joined to the transfer deck 130B on one side 130BD2 of thetransfer deck 130B but in other aspects, the aisles are joined to morethan one side 130BD1, 130BD2 of the transfer deck 130B in a mannersubstantially similar to that described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/326,674 filed on Dec. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which ispreviously incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. As will bedescribed in greater detail below the other side 130BD1 of the transferdeck 130B includes deck storage racks (e.g. interface stations TS andbuffer stations BS) that are distributed along the other side 130BD1 ofthe transfer deck 130B so that at least one part of the transfer deck isinterposed between the deck storage racks and the aisles 130A. The deckstorage racks are arranged along the other side 130BD1 of the transferdeck 130B so that the deck storage racks communicate with the bots 110from the transfer deck 130B and with the lift modules 150 (e.g. the deckstorage racks are accessed by the bots 110 from the transfer deck 130Band by the lifts 150 for picking and placing pickfaces so that pickfacesare transferred between the bots 110 and the deck storage racks andbetween the deck storage racks and the lifts 150 and hence between thebots 110 and the lifts 150).

Each storage level 130L may also include charging stations 130C forcharging an on-board power supply of the bots 110 on that storage level130L such as described in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/209,086 filed on Mar. 13, 2014 and Ser. No. 13/326,823 filed on Dec.15, 2011, (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,082,112), the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The bots 110 may be any suitable independently operable autonomoustransport vehicles that carry and transfer case units throughout thestorage and retrieval system 100. In one aspect the bots 110 areautomated, independent (e.g. free riding) autonomous transport vehicles.Suitable examples of bots can be found in, for exemplary purposes only,U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/326,674 filed on Dec. 15, 2011; U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/757,312 filed on Apr. 9, 2010, (now U.S.Pat. No. 8,425,173); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/326,423 filedon Dec. 15, 2011; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/326,447 filed onDec. 15, 2011, (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,965,619); U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/326,505 Dec. 15, 2011, (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,696,010); U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/327,040 filed on Dec. 15, 2011, (now U.S.Pat. No. 9,187,244); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/326,952 filedon Dec. 15, 2011; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/326,993 filed onDec. 15, 2011; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/486,008 filed on Sep.15, 2014; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/107,135, filedon Jan. 23, 2015, the disclosures of which are incorporated by referenceherein in their entireties. The bots 110 (described in greater detailbelow) may be configured to place case units, such as the abovedescribed retail merchandise, into picking stock in the one or morelevels of the storage structure 130 and then selectively retrieveordered case units.

The bots 110, lift modules 150 and other suitable features of thestorage and retrieval system 100 are controlled in any suitable mannersuch as by, for example, one or more central system control computers(e.g. control server) 120 through, for example, any suitable network180. In one aspect the network 180 is a wired network, a wirelessnetwork or a combination of wireless and wired networks using anysuitable type and/or number of communication protocols. In one aspect,the control server 120 includes a collection of substantiallyconcurrently running programs (e.g. system management software) forsubstantially automatic control of the automated storage and retrievalsystem 100. The collection of substantially concurrently runningprograms, for example, being configured to manage the storage andretrieval system 100 including, for exemplary purposes only,controlling, scheduling, and monitoring the activities of all activesystem components, managing inventory (e.g. which case units are inputand removed, the order in which the cases are removed and where the caseunits are stored) and pickfaces (e.g. one or more case units that aremovable as a unit and handled as a unit by components of the storage andretrieval system), and interfacing with a warehouse management system2500. The control server 120 may, in one aspect, be configured tocontrol the features of the storage and retrieval system in the mannerdescribed herein. For simplicity and ease of explanation the term “caseunit(s)” is generally used herein for referring to both individual caseunits and pickfaces (a pickface is formed of one or multiple case unitsthat are moved as a unit).

Referring also to FIGS. 1A and 1B the rack module array RMA of thestorage structure 130 includes vertical support members 1212 andhorizontal support members 1200 that define a high density automatedstorage array as will be described in greater detail below. Rails 1200Smay be mounted to one or more of the vertical and horizontal supportmembers 1212, 1200 in, for example, picking or rack aisles 130A and beconfigured so that the bots 110 ride along the rails 1200S through thepicking aisles 130A. At least one side of at least one of the pickingaisles 130A of at least one storage level 130L may have one or morestorage shelves (e.g. formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S)provided at differing heights so as to form multiple shelf levels130LS1-130LS4 between the storage or deck levels 130L defined by thetransfer decks 130B (and the rails 1200S which form an aisle deck).Accordingly, there are multiple rack shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4,corresponding to each storage level 130L, extending along one or morepicking aisles 130A communicating with the transfer deck 130B of therespective storage level 130L. As may be realized, the multiple rackshelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 effect each storage level 130L having stacksof stored case units (or case layers) that are accessible from a commondeck 1200S of a respective storage level 130L (e.g. the stacks of storedcases are located between storage levels).

As may be realized, bots 110 traversing a picking aisle 130A, at acorresponding storage level 130L, have access (e.g. for picking andplacing case units) to each storage space 130S that is available on eachshelf level 130LS1-130LS4, where each shelf level 130LS1-130LS4 islocated between the storage levels 130L on one or more side(s) PAS1,PAS2 (see e.g. FIG. 2A) of the picking aisle 130A. As noted above, eachof the storage shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 is accessible by the bot 110from the rails 1200S (e.g. from a common picking aisle deck 1200S thatcorresponds with a transfer deck 130B on a respective storage level130L). As can be seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B there are one or more shelfrails 1210 vertically spaced (e.g. in the Z direction) from one anotherto form multiple stacked storage spaces 130S each being accessible bythe bot 110 from the common rails 1200S. As may be realized, thehorizontal support members 1200 also form shelf rails (in addition toshelf rails 1210) on which case units are placed.

Each stacked shelf level 130LS1-130LS4 (and/or each single shelf levelas described below) of a corresponding storage level 130L defines anopen and undeterministic two dimensional storage surface (e.g. having acase unit support plane CUSP as shown in FIG. 1B) that facilitates adynamic allocation of pickfaces both longitudinally (e.g. along a lengthof the aisle or coincident with a path of bot travel defined by thepicking aisle) and laterally (e.g. with respect to rack depth,transverse to the aisle or the path of bot travel). Dynamic allocationof the pickfaces and case units that make up the pickfaces is provided,for example, in the manner described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,594,835 issuedon Nov. 26, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety. As such, case unit (or tote) pickfaces ofvariable lengths and widths are positioned at each two dimensionalstorage location on the storage shelves (e.g. on each storage shelflevel 130LS1-130LS4) with minimum gaps G (e.g. that effectpicking/placing of case units free from contact with other case unitsstored on the shelves, see FIG. 1A) between adjacent stored caseunits/storage spaces.

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment a vertical pitch between rackshelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 (that corresponds to each storage level 130L)is varied so that a height Z1A-Z1E between the shelves is different,rather than equal. In other aspects, the vertical pitch between at leastsome of the rack shelves is the same so that the height Z1A-Z1E betweenat least some shelves is equal while the vertical pitch between othershelves is different. In still other aspects, the pitch of rack shelflevels 130LS1-130LS4 on one storage level is a constant pitch (e.g. therack shelf levels are substantially equally spaced in the Z direction)while the pitch of rack shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 on a differentstorage level is a different constant pitch.

In one aspect, the storage space(s) 130S defined by the storage shelflevels 130LS1-130LS4 between the storage or deck levels 130Laccommodates case units of different heights, lengths, widths and/orweights at the different shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 as described in, forexample, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/966,978, filed on Dec. 11,2015, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/091,162 filed onDec. 12, 2014, the disclosures of which are incorporated by referenceherein in their entireties. For example, still referring to FIG. 1A thestorage level 130L includes storage sections having at least oneintermediate shelf 1210. In the example shown, one storage sectionincludes one intermediate shelf 1210 while another storage sectionincludes two intermediate shelves 1210 for forming shelf levels130LS1-130LS4. In one aspect the pitch Z1 between storage levels 130Lmay be any suitable pitch such as, for example, about 32 inches to about34 inches while in other aspects the pitch may be more than about 34inches and/or less than about 32 inches. Any suitable number of shelvesmay be provided between the decks 1200S of adjacent vertically stackedstorage levels 130L where the shelves have the same or differing pitchesbetween the shelves.

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment the storage or deck levels130L (e.g. the surface on which the bots 110 travel) are arranged at anysuitable predetermined pitch Z1 that is not, for example, an integermultiple of the intermediate shelf pitch(es) Z1A-Z1E. In other aspectsthe pitch Z1 may be an integer multiple of the intermediate shelf pitch,such as for example, the shelf pitch may be substantially equal to thepitch Z1 so that the corresponding storage space has a heightsubstantially equal to the pitch Z1. As may be realized, the shelf pitchZ1A-Z1E is substantially decoupled from the storage level 130L pitch Z1and corresponds to general case unit heights as illustrated in FIG. 1A.In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment case units of differentheights are dynamically allocated or otherwise distributed along eachaisle within a storage space 130S having a shelf height commensuratewith the case unit height. The remaining space between the storagelevels 130L, both along the length of the aisle coincident with thestored case unit (e.g. in the X direction) and alongside the stored caseunit, being freely usable for dynamic allocation for cases of acorresponding height. As may be realized, the dynamic allocation of caseunits having different heights onto shelves having different pitchesprovides for stored case layers of different heights, between storagelevels 130L on both sides of each picking aisle 130A, with each caseunit being dynamically distributed along a common picking aisle 130A sothat each case unit within each stored case layer being independentlyaccessible (e.g. for picking/placing) by the bot in the common aisle.This placement/allocation of case units and the arrangement of thestorage shelves provides maximum efficiency of storage space/volume usebetween the storage levels 130L, and hence of maximum efficiency of therack module array RMA, with optimized distribution of case unit SKU's,as each aisle length may include multiple case units of differentheights, yet each rack shelf at each shelf level may be filled bydynamic allocation/distribution (e.g. to fill the three dimensional rackmodule array RMA space in length, width and height, to provide a highdensity storage array).

In one aspect, referring to FIGS. 1D and 6A each of the storage levels130L includes a single level of storage shelves to store a single levelof case units (e.g. each storage level includes a single case unitsupport plane CUSP) and the bots 110 are configured to transfer caseunits to and from the storage shelves of the respective storage level130L. For example, the bot 110′ illustrated in FIG. 6A is substantiallysimilar to bot 110 described above however, the bot 110′ is not providedwith Z-travel of the transfer arm 110PA for placing case units on themultiple storage shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 (e.g. accessible from acommon rail 1200S) as described above. Here the transfer arm drive 250(which may be substantially similar to one or more of drive 250A, 250B)includes only sufficient Z-travel for lifting the case units from thecase unit support plane CUSP of the single level of storage shelves, fortransferring the case units to and from the payload area 110PL and fortransferring the case units between the fingers 273 of the transfer arm110PA and the payload bed 110PB. Suitable examples of bots 110′ can befound in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/326,993 filedon Dec. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, referring also to FIG. 2A,the rack shelves 1210 (inclusive of the rack shelf formed by rail 1200)are sectioned SECA, SECB longitudinally (e.g. along the length of thepicking aisle 130A in the X direction, with respect to a storagestructure frame of reference REF2) to form ordered or otherwise matchedrack shelf sections along each picking aisle 130A. The aisle shelfsections SECA, SECB are ordered/matched to each other based on, forexample, a pick sequence of a bot 110 traversing the aisle in a commonpass picking case units destined for a common order fill (e.g. based onthe order out sequence). In other words, a bot 110 makes a single pass(e.g. traversal in a single direction) down a single or common pickingaisle while picking one or more case units from aisle shelf sectionsSECA, SECB on a common side of the picking aisle 130A to build apickface on the bot 110 where the pickface includes case units that arearranged on the bot according to the order fill/order out sequence aswill be described in greater detail below. Each of the aisle racksections SECA, SECB includes intermediate shelves in the mannerdescribed above. In other aspects some of the aisle shelves do notinclude intermediate shelves while others do include intermediateshelves.

In one aspect, the ordered aisle rack sections SECA, SECB include shelfpitches that are different between sections SECA, SECB. For example,aisle rack section SECA has shelves with one or more pitches while aislerack section SECB has shelves with one or more different pitches (e.g.different than the pitches of the shelves in section SECA). Inaccordance with the aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the pitch of atleast one intermediate shelf of one aisle rack section SECA, SECB isrelated to the pitch of at least one intermediate shelf of another ofthe ordered aisle rack sections SECA, SECB of the common picking aisle130A. The different pitches of the intermediate shelves 1210 in theordered aisle rack section SECA, SECB are selected so as to be relatedand to effect multiple (at least two) ordered picks (i.e. picks in anordered sequence) with a bot 110, in accordance with a mixed SKU loadout sequence (e.g. palletizing to a common pallet load), from shelves ofdifferent pitches, from a common pass of a common picking aisle 130A. Asmay be realized, the mixed load output from the storage and retrievalsystem 100 (e.g. to fill a truck loadport/pallet load) is sequenced in apredetermined order according to various load out picking aisles (e.g.aisles from which case units are picked for transfer to an outgoingpallet) and the shelf pitch in the ordered sections SECA, SECBfacilitates a bot 110 pick of more than one case unit in orderedsequence according to an order of the load out sequence in a commonpicking aisle pass (e.g. more than one case unit is picked in apredetermined order from a common picking aisle in one pass of thecommon picking aisle). The different aisle shelf pitches of the orderedrack sections SECA, SECB are so related to increase the probability ofsuch an ordered multi-pick (the picking of two or more case units from asingle aisle with a single pass of the aisle as described above) so thatthe multi-pick is performed by each bot order fulfillment pass alongeach aisle, and so related such that more than a majority of casespicked in the storage and retrieval system 100 by the bots 110 anddestined for a common load out (e.g. a common pallet load) are picked bya common bot 110 in an ordered sequence corresponding to the load outsequence during a single pass of a common picking aisle (e.g. the two ormore cases picked by the bot 110 are picked from the same picking aislein a single pass, e.g. the bot travels in a single direction oncethrough the picking aisle). As may be realized, in one aspect of thedisclosed embodiment both sides PAS1, PAS2 of the picking aisle 130Ahave ordered aisle rack sections SECA, SECB where one ordered sectionmay be matched with one or more sections on the same side PAS1, PAS2 ofthe common picking aisle 130A. As may be realized, the matched aislerack sections may be located adjacent one another or spaced apart fromone another along the picking aisle 130A.

Referring again to FIG. 2A each transfer deck or storage level 130Lincludes one or more lift pickface interface/handoff stations TS(referred to herein as interface stations TS) where case unit(s) (ofsingle or combined case pickfaces) or totes are transferred between thelift load handling devices LHD and bots 110 on the transfer deck 130B.The interface stations TS are located at a side of the transfer deck130B opposite the picking aisles 130A and rack modules RM, so that thetransfer deck 130B is interposed between the picking aisles and eachinterface station TS. As noted above, each bot 110 on each picking level130L has access to each storage location 130S, each picking aisle 130Aand each lift 150 on the respective storage level 130L, as such each bot110 also has access to each interface station TS on the respective level130L. In one aspect the interface stations are offset from high speedbot travel paths HSTP along the transfer deck 130B so that bot 110access to the interface stations TS is undeterministic to bot speed onthe high speed travel paths HSTP. As such, each bot 110 can move a caseunit(s) (or pickface, e.g. one or more cases, built by the bot) fromevery interface station TS to every storage space 130S corresponding tothe deck level and vice versa.

In one aspect the interface stations TS are configured for a passivetransfer (e.g. handoff) of case units (and/or pickfaces) between the bot110 and the load handing devices LHD of the lifts 150 (e.g. theinterface stations TS have no moving parts for transporting the caseunits) which will be described in greater detail below. For example,also referring to FIG. 2B the interface stations TS and/or bufferstations BS include one or more stacked levels TL1, TL2 of transfer rackshelves RTS (e.g. so as to take advantage of the lifting ability of thebot 110 with respect to the stacked rack shelves RTS) which in oneaspect are substantially similar to the storage shelves described above(e.g. each being formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S) such thatbot 110 handoff (e.g. pick and place) occurs in a passive mannersubstantially similar to that between the bot 110 and the storage spaces130S (as described herein) where the case units or totes are transferredto and from the shelves. In one aspect the buffer stations BS on one ormore of the stacked levels TL1, TL2 also serve as a handoff/interfacestation with respect to the load handling device LHD of the lift 150. Inone aspect, where the bots, such as bots 110′, are configured for thetransfer of case units to a single level 130L of storage shelves, theinterface stations TS and/or buffer stations BS also include a singlelevel of transfer rack shelves (which are substantially similar to thestorage rack shelves of the storage levels 130L described above withrespect to, for example, FIG. 1D). As may be realized, operation of thestorage and retrieval system with bots 110′ serving the single levelstorage and transfer shelves is substantially similar to that describedherein. As may also be realized, load handling device LHD handoff (e.g.pick and place) of case units (e.g. individual case units or pickfaces)and totes to the stacked rack shelves RTS (and/or the single level rackshelves) occurs in a passive manner substantially similar to thatbetween the bot 110 and the storage spaces 130S (as described herein)where the case units or totes are transferred to and from the shelves.In other aspects the shelves may include transfer arms (substantiallysimilar to the bot 110 transfer arm 110PA shown in FIG. 6 , although Zdirection movement may be omitted when the transfer arm is incorporatedinto the interface station TS shelves) for picking and placing caseunits or totes from one or more of the bot 110 and load handling deviceLHD of the lift 150. Suitable examples of an interface station with anactive transfer arm are described in, for example, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/757,354 filed on Apr. 9, 2010, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In one aspect, the location of the bot 110 relative to the interfacestations TS occurs in a manner substantially similar to bot locationrelative to the storage spaces 130S. For example, in one aspect,location of the bot 110 relative to the storage spaces 130S and theinterface stations TS occurs in a manner substantially similar to thatdescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/327,035 filed on Dec.15, 2011, (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,008,884) and Ser. No. 13/608,877 filed onSep. 10, 2012, (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,954,188), the disclosures of whichare incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. For example,referring to FIGS. 1 and 1B, the bot 110 includes one or more sensors110S that detect the slats 1210S and/or a locating features 130F (suchas an aperture, reflective surface, RFID tag, etc.) disposed on/in therail 1200. The Slats and/or locating features 130F are arranged so as toidentify a location of the bot 110 within the storage and retrievalsystem, relative to e.g. the storages spaces and/or interface stationsTS. In one aspect the bot 110 includes a controller 110C that, forexample, counts the slats 1210S to at least in part determine a locationof the bot 110 within the storage and retrieval system 100. In otheraspects the location features 130F may be arranged so as to form anabsolute or incremental encoder which when detected by the bot 110provides for a bot 110 location determination within the storage andretrieval system 100.

As may be realized, referring to FIG. 2B, the transfer rack shelves RTSat each interface/handoff station TS define multi-load stations (e.g.having one or more storage case unit holding locations for holding acorresponding number of case units or totes) on a common transfer rackshelf RS. As noted above, each load of the multi-load station is asingle case unit/tote or a multi-case pickface (e.g. having multiplecase units/totes that are moved as a single unit) that is picked andpaced by either the bot or load handling device LHD. As may also berealized, the bot location described above allows for the bot 110 toposition itself relative to the multi-load stations for picking andplacing the case units/totes and pickfaces from a predetermined one ofthe holding locations of the multi-load station. The interface/handoffstations TS define buffers where inbound and/or outbound caseunits/totes and pickfaces are temporarily stored when being transferredbetween the bots 110 and the load handling devices LHD of the lifts 150.

In one aspect one or more peripheral pickface buffer/handoff stations BS(substantially similar to the interface stations TS and referred toherein as buffer stations BS) are also located at the side of thetransfer deck 130B opposite the picking aisles 130A and rack modules RM,so that the transfer deck 130B is interposed between the picking aislesand each buffer station BS. The peripheral buffer stations BS areinterspersed between or, in one aspect as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B,otherwise in line with the interface stations TS. In one aspect theperipheral buffer stations BS are formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats1210S and are a continuation of (but a separate section of) theinterface stations TS (e.g. the interface stations and the peripheralbuffer stations are formed by common rails 1210, 1200). As such, theperipheral buffer stations BS, in one aspect, also include one or morestacked levels TL1, TL2 of transfer rack shelves RTS as described abovewith respect to the interface stations TS while in other aspects thebuffer stations include a single level of transfer rack shelves. Theperipheral buffer stations BS define buffers where case units/totesand/or pickfaces are temporarily stored when being transferred from onebot 110 to another different bot 110 on the same storage level 130L aswill be described in greater detail below. As maybe realized, in oneaspect the peripheral buffer stations are located at any suitablelocation of the storage and retrieval system including within thepicking aisles 130A and anywhere along the transfer deck 130B.

Still referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B in one aspect the interface stationsTS are arranged along the transfer deck 130B in a manner akin to parkingspaces on the side of a road such that the bots 110 “parallel park” at apredetermined interface station TS for transferring case units to andfrom one or more shelves RTS at one or more levels TL1, TL2 of theinterface station TS. In one aspect, a transfer orientation of the bots110 (e.g. when parallel parked) at an interface station TS is the sameorientation as when the bot 110 is travelling along the high speed bottransport path HSTP (e.g. the interface station is substantiallyparallel with a bot travel direction of the transfer deck and/or a sideof the transfer deck on which the lifts 150 are located). Bot 110interface with the peripheral buffer stations BS also occurs by parallelparking so that a transfer orientation of the bots 110 (e.g. whenparallel parked) at a peripheral buffer station BS is the sameorientation as when the bot 110 is travelling along the high speed bottransport path HSTP.

In another aspect, referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, at least the interfacestations TS are located on an extension portion or pier 130BD thatextends from the transfer deck 130B. In one aspect, the pier 130BD issimilar to the picking aisles where the bot 110 travels along rails1200S affixed to horizontal support members 1200 (in a mannersubstantially similar to that described above). In other aspects, thetravel surface of the pier 130BD may be substantially similar to that ofthe transfer deck 130B. Each pier 130BD is located at the side of thetransfer deck 130B, such as a side that is opposite the picking aisles130A and rack modules RM, so that the transfer deck 130B is interposedbetween the picking aisles and each pier 130BD. The pier(s) 130BDextends from the transfer deck at a non-zero angle relative to at leasta portion of the high speed bot transport path HSTP. In other aspectsthe pier(s) 130BD extend from any suitable portion of the transfer deck130B including the ends 130BE1, 130BE2 of the transfer deck 130BD. Asmay be realized, peripheral buffer stations BSD (substantially similarto peripheral buffers stations BS described above) may also be locatedat least along a portion of the pier 130BD.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5 , as described above, in one aspectthe interface stations TS are passive stations and as such the loadtransfer device LHD of the lifts 150A, 150B have active transfer arms orpick heads 4000A, 4000B. In one aspect the inbound lift modules 150A andthe outbound lift modules 150B have different types of pick heads (aswill be described below) while in other aspects the inbound lift modules150A and the outbound lift modules 150B have the same type of pick headsimilar to one of the pick heads described below (e.g. both the lifts150A, 150B have pick head 4000A or both lifts 150A, 150B have pick head4000B). For example, both the inbound and outbound lift modules 150A,150B have a vertical mast 4002 along which a slide 4001 travels underthe motive force of any suitable drive unit 4002D (e.g. connected to,for example, control server 120) configured to lift and lower the slide(and the pick head 4000A, 4000B mounted thereto). The inbound liftmodule(s) 150A include a pick head 4000A mounted to the slide 4001 sothat as the slide moves the pick head 4000A moves with the slide 4001.In this aspect the pick head 4000A includes one or more tines or fingers4273 mounted to a base member 4272. The base member 4272 is movablymounted to one or more rail 4360S of frame 4200 which in turn is mountedto the slide 4001. Any suitable drive unit 4005, such as a belt drive,chain drive, screw drive, gear drive, etc. (which is substantiallysimilar in form but may not be similar in capacity to drive 4002D as thedrive 4005 may be smaller than drive 4002D) is mounted to the frame 4200and coupled to the base member 4272 for driving the base member 4272(with the finger(s)) in the direction of arrow 4050.

The outbound lift module(s) 150B also include a pick head 4000B mountedto the slide 4001 so that as the slide moves the pick head 4000B moveswith the slide 4001. In this aspect the pick head 4000B includes one ormore pick head portions or effectors (e.g. transfer arms) LHDA, LHDBeach having one or more tines or fingers 4273 mounted to a respectivebase member 4272A. Each base member 4272A is movably mounted to one ormore rail 4360SA of frame 4200A which in turn is mounted to the slide4001. Any suitable drive unit(s) 4005A, such as a belt drive, chaindrive, screw drive, gear drive, etc. is mounted to the frame 4200A andcoupled to a respective base member 4272A for driving the respectivebase member 4272A (with the finger(s)) in the direction of arrow 4050(each effector has a respective drive unit so that each effector isindependently movable in the direction of arrow 4050). While twoeffectors LHDA, LHDB are illustrated on pick head 4000B the pick head4000B includes any suitable number of effectors that correspond to anumber of case unit/pickface holding locations of, for example, theinterface stations TS so that case units/pickfaces are individuallypicked from the interface stations TS as described in greater detailbelow.

As may be realized, the lift modules 150A, 150B are under the control ofany suitable controller, such as control server 120, such that whenpicking and placing case unit(s) the pick head is raised and/or loweredto a predetermined height corresponding to an interface station TS at apredetermined storage level 130L. At the interface stations TS the pickhead 4000A, 4000B or individual portion thereof (e.g. effector LHDA,LHDB), corresponding to one or more case unit holding location(s) of theinterface station TS from which one or more case unit(s) are beingpicked, is extended so that the fingers 4273 are interdigitated betweenthe slats 1210S (as illustrated in FIG. 4B) underneath the case unit(s)being picked. The lift 150A, 150B raises the pick head 4000A, 4000B tolift the case unit(s) from the slats 1210S and retracts the pick head4000A, 4000B for transport of the case unit(s) to another level of thestorage and retrieval system, such as for transporting the case unit(s)to output station 160UT. Similarly, to place one or more case unit(s)the pick head 4000A, 4000B or individual portion thereof (e.g. effectorLHDA, LHDB), corresponding to one or more case unit holding location(s)of the interface station TS from which one or more case unit(s) arebeing placed, is extended so that the fingers 4273 are above the slats.The lift 150A, 150B lowers the pick head 4000A, 4000B to place the caseunit(s) on the slats 1210S and so that the fingers 4273 areinterdigitated between the slats 1210S underneath the case unit(s) beingpicked.

Referring now to FIG. 6 , as noted above, the bot 110 includes atransfer arm 110PA that effects the picking and placement of case unitsfrom the stacked storage spaces 130S, interface stations TS andperipheral buffer stations BS, BSD defined at least in part, in the Zdirection) by one or more of the rails 1210A-1210C, 1200 (e.g. where thestorage spaces, interface stations and/or peripheral buffer stations maybe further defined in the X and Y directions through the dynamicallocation of the case units as described above). The bots 110, as notedabove, transport case units between each lift module 150 and eachstorage space 130S on a respective storage level 130L. The bots 110include a frame 110F having a drive section 110DR and a payload section110PL. The drive section 110DR includes one or more drive wheel motorseach connected to a respective drive wheel(s) 202. In this aspect thebot 110 includes two drive wheels 202 located on opposite sides of thebot 110 at end 110E1 (e.g. first longitudinal end) of the bot 110 forsupporting the bot 110 on a suitable drive surface however, in otheraspects any suitable number of drive wheels are provided on the bot 110.In one aspect each drive wheel 202 is independently controlled so thatthe bot 110 may be steered through a differential rotation of the drivewheels 202 while in other aspects the rotation of the drive wheels 202may be coupled so as to rotate at substantially the same speed. Anysuitable wheels 201 are mounted to the frame on opposite sides of thebot 110 at end 110E2 (e.g. second longitudinal end) of the bot 110 forsupporting the bot 110 on the drive surface. In one aspect the wheels201 are caster wheels that freely rotate allowing the bot 110 to pivotthrough differential rotation of the drive wheels 202 for changing atravel direction of the bot 110. In other aspects the wheels 201 aresteerable wheels that turn under control of, for example, a botcontroller 110C (which is configured to effect control of the bot 110 asdescribed herein) for changing a travel direction of the bot 110. In oneaspect the bot 110 includes one or more guide wheels 110GW located at,for example, one or more corners of the frame 110F. The guide wheels110GW may interface with the storage structure 130, such as guide rails(not shown) within the picking aisles 130A, on the transfer deck 130Band/or at interface or transfer stations for interfacing with the liftmodules 150 for guiding the bot 110 and/or positioning the bot 110 apredetermined distance from a location to/from which one or more caseunits are placed and/or picked up as described in, for example, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/326,423 filed on Dec. 15, 2011 thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.As noted above, the bots 110 may enter the picking aisles 130A havingdifferent facing directions for accessing storage spaces 130S located onboth sides of the picking aisles 130A. For example, the bot 110 mayenter a picking aisle 130A with end 110E2 leading the direction oftravel or the bot may enter the picking aisle 130A with end 110E1leading the direction of travel.

The payload section 110PL of the bot 110 includes a payload bed 110PB, afence or datum member 110PF, a transfer arm 110PA and a pusher bar ormember 110PR. In one aspect the payload bed 110PB includes one or morerollers 110RL that are transversely mounted (e.g. relative to alongitudinal axis LX of the bot 110) to the frame 110F so that one ormore case units carried within the payload section 110PL can belongitudinally moved (e.g. justified with respect to a predeterminedlocation of the frame/payload section and/or a datum reference of one ormore case units) along the longitudinal axis of the bot, e.g., toposition the case unit at a predetermined position within the payloadsection 110PL and/or relative to other case units within the payloadsection 110PL (e.g. longitudinal forward/aft justification of caseunits). In one aspect the rollers 110RL may be driven (e.g. rotatedabout their respective axes) by any suitable motor for moving the caseunits within the payload section 110PL. In other aspects the bot 110includes one or more longitudinally movable pusher bar (not shown) forpushing the case units over the rollers 110RL for moving the caseunit(s) to the predetermined position within the payload section 110PL.The longitudinally movable pusher bar may be substantially similar tothat described in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/326,952 filed on Dec. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which waspreviously incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The pusherbar 110PR is movable in the Y direction, relative to the bot 110reference frame REF to effect, along with the fence 110PF and or pickhead 270 of the transfer arm 110PA, a lateral justification of caseunit(s) within the payload area 110PL in the manner described in U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/107,135 filed on Jan. 23, 2015,previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , the case units are placed on the payload bed110PB and removed from the payload bed 110PB with the transfer arm110PA. The transfer arm 110PA includes a lift mechanism or unit 200located substantially within the payload section 110PL as described in,for example, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/107,135 filed onJan. 23, 2015, previously incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. The lift mechanism 200 provides both gross and finepositioning of pickfaces carried by the bot 110 which are to be liftedinto position in the storage structure 130 for picking and/or placingthe pickfaces and/or individual case units to the storage spaces 130S(e.g. on a respective storage level 130L on which the bot 110 islocated). For example, the lift mechanism 200 provides for picking andplacing case units at the multiple elevated storage shelf levels130LS1-130LS4, TL1, TL2 accessible from the common picking aisle orinterface station deck 1200S (see e.g. FIGS. 1A, 2B and 3B).

The lift mechanism 200 is configured so that combined robot axis movesare performed (e.g. combined substantially simultaneous movement of thepusher bar 110PR, lift mechanism 200, pick head extension and fore/aftjustification mechanism(s) such as, e.g., the longitudinally movablepusher bar described above), so that different/multi-sku or multi-pickpayloads are handled by the bot. In one aspect, the actuation of thelifting mechanism 200 is independent of actuation of the pusher bar110PR as will be described below. The decoupling of the lift mechanism200 and pusher bar 110PR axes provides for combined pick/place sequenceseffecting a decreased pick/place cycle time, increased storage andretrieval system throughput and/or increased storage density of thestorage and retrieval system as described above. For example, the liftmechanism 200 provides for picking and placing case units at multipleelevated storage shelf levels accessible from a common picking aisleand/or interface station deck 1200S as described above.

The lifting mechanism may be configured in any suitable manner so that apick head 270 of the bot 110 bi-directionally moves along the Z axis(e.g. reciprocates in the Z direction—see FIG. 6 ). In one aspect, thelifting mechanism includes a mast 200M and the pick head 270 is movablymounted to the mast 200M in any suitable manner. The mast is movablymounted to the frame in any suitable manner so as to be movable alongthe lateral axis LT of the bot 110 (e.g. in the Y direction). In oneaspect the frame includes guide rails 210A, 210B to which the mast 200is slidably mounted. A transfer arm drive 250A, 250B may be mounted tothe frame for effecting at least movement of the transfer arm 110PAalong the lateral axis LT (e.g. Y axis) and the Z axis. In one aspectthe transfer arm drive 250A, 250B includes an extension motor 301 and alift motor 302. The extension motor 301 may be mounted to the frame 110Fand coupled to the mast 200M in any suitable manner such as by a beltand pulley transmission 260A, a screw drive transmission (not shown)and/or a gear drive transmission (not shown). The lift motor 302 may bemounted to the mast 200M and coupled to pick head 270 by any suitabletransmission, such as by a belt and pulley transmission 271, a screwdrive transmission (not shown) and/or a gear drive transmission (notshown). As an example, the mast 200M includes guides, such as guiderails 280A, 280B, along which the pick head 270 is mounted for guidedmovement in the Z direction along the guide rails 280A, 280B. In otheraspects the pick head is mounted to the mast in any suitable manner forguided movement in the Z direction. With respect to the transmissions271, a belt 271B of the belt and pulley transmission 271 is fixedlycoupled to the pick head 270 so that as the belt 271 moves (e.g. isdriven by the motor 302) the pick head 270 moves with the belt 271 andis bi-directionally driven along the guide rails 280A, 280B in the Zdirection. As may be realized, where a screw drive is employed to drivethe pick head 270 in the Z direction, a nut may be mounted to the pickhead 270 so that as a screw is turned by the motor 302 engagementbetween the nut and screw causes movement of the pick head 270.Similarly, where a gear drive transmission is employed a rack and pinionor any other suitable gear drive may drive the pick head 270 in the Zdirection. In other aspects any suitable linear actuators are used tomove the pick head in the Z direction. The transmission 260A for theextension motor 301 is substantially similar to that described hereinwith respect to transmission 271.

Still referring to FIG. 6 the pick head 270 of the bot 110 transferscase units between the bot 110 and a case unit pick/place location suchas, for example, the storage spaces 130S, peripheral buffer stations BS,BSD and/or interface stations TS (see FIGS. 2A-3B) and in other aspectssubstantially directly between the bot 110 and a lift module(s) 150. Inone aspect, the pick head 270 includes a base member 272, one or moretines or fingers 273A-273E and one or more actuators 274A, 274B. Thebase member 272 is mounted to the mast 200M, as described above, so asto ride along the guide rails 280A, 280B. The one or more tines273A-273E are mounted to the base member 272 at a proximate end of thetines 273A-273E so that a distal end of the tines 273A-273E (e.g. a freeend) is cantilevered from the base member 272. Referring again to FIG.1B, the tines 273A-273E are configured for insertion between slats 1210Sthat form the case unit support plane CUSP of the storage shelves.

One or more of the tines 273A-273E is movably mounted to the base member272 (such as on a slide/guide rail similar to that described above) soas to be movable in the Z direction. In one aspect any number of tinesare mounted to the base member 272 while in the aspect illustrated inthe figures there are, for example, five tines 273A-273E mounted to thebase member 272. Any number of the tines 273A-273E are movably mountedto the base member 272 while in the aspect illustrated in the figures,for example, the outermost (with respect to a centerline CL of the pickhead 270) tines 273A, 273E are movably mounted to the base member 272while the remaining tines 273B-273D are immovable relative to the basemember 272.

In this aspect the pick head 270 employs as few as three tines 273B-273Dto transfer smaller sized case units (and/or groups of case units) toand from the bot 110 and as many as five tines 273A-273E to transferlarger sized case units (and/or groups of case units) to and from thebot 110. In other aspects, less than three tines are employed (e.g. suchas where more than two tines are movably mounted to the base member 272)to transfer smaller sized case units. For example, in one aspect all butone tine 273A-273E is movably mounted to the base member so that thesmallest case unit being transferred to and from the bot 110 withoutdisturbing other case units on, for example, the storage shelves has awidth of about the distance X1 between slats 1210S (see FIG. 1B).

The immovable tines 373B-373D define a picking plane SP of the pick head270 and are used when transferring all sizes of case units (and/orpickfaces) while the movable tines 373A, 373E are selectively raised andlowered (e.g. in the Z direction with the actuators 274A, 274B) relativeto the immovable tines 373B-373D to transfer larger case units (and/orpickfaces). Still referring to FIG. 6 an example is shown where all ofthe tines 273A-273E are positioned so that a case unit support surfaceSF of each tine 273A-273E is coincident with the picking plane SP of thepick head 270 however, as may be realized, the two end tines 273A, 273Eare movable so as to be positioned lower (e.g. in the Z direction)relative to the other tines 273B-273D so that the case unit supportsurface SF of tines 273A, 273E is offset from (e.g. below) the pickingplane SP so that the tines 273A, 273E do not contact the one or morecase units carried by the pick head 270 and do not interfere with anyunpicked case units positioned in storage spaces 130S on the storageshelves or any other suitable case unit holding location.

The movement of the tines 273A-273E in the Z direction is effected bythe one or more actuators 274A, 274B mounted at any suitable location ofthe transfer arm 110PA. In one aspect, the one or more actuators 274A,274B are mounted to the base member 272 of the pick head 270. The one ormore actuators are any suitable actuators, such as linear actuators,capable of moving one or more tines 273A-273E in the Z direction. In theaspect illustrated in, for example, FIG. 6 there is one actuator 274A,274B for each of the movable tines 273A, 273E so that each moveable tineis independently movable in the Z direction. In other aspects oneactuator may be coupled to more than one movable tine so that the morethan one movable tine move as a unit in the Z direction.

As may be realized, movably mounting one or more tines 273A-273E on thebase member 272 of the pick head 270 provides for full support of largecase units and/or pickfaces on the pick head 270 while also providingthe ability to pick and place small case units without interfering withother case units positioned on, for example, the storage shelves,interface stations and/or peripheral buffer stations. The ability topick and place variably sized case units without interfering with othercase units on the storage shelves, interface stations and/or peripheralbuffer stations reduces a size of a gap GP (see FIG. 1A) between caseunits on the storage shelves. As may be realized, because the tines 273b-273D are fixed to the base member 272 there is no duplicative motionwhen picking/placing case units as the lifting and lowering of caseunits and/or pickfaces to and from the case unit holding location iseffected solely by the lift motor 301, 301A.

Referring again to FIG. 6 , it is again noted that the pusher bar 110PRis movable independent of the transfer arm 110PA. The pusher bar 110PRis movably mounted to the frame in any suitable manner such as by, forexample, a guide rod and slide arrangement and is actuated along the Ydirection (e.g. in a direction substantially parallel to theextension/retraction direction of the transfer arm 110PA). In one aspectat least one guide rod 360 is mounted within the payload section 110PLso as to extend transversely relative to the longitudinal axis LX of theframe 110F. The pusher bar 110PR may include at least one slide member360S configured to engage and slide along a respective guide rod 360. Inone aspect, at least the guide rod/slide arrangement holds the pusherbar 110PR captive within the payload section 110PL. The pusher bar 110PRis actuated by any suitable motor and transmission, such as by motor 303and transmission 303T. In one aspect the motor 303 is a rotary motor andthe transmission 303T is a belt and pulley transmission. In otheraspects the pusher bar 110PR may be actuated by a linear actuator havingsubstantially no rotary components.

The pusher bar 110PR is arranged within the payload section 110PL so asto be substantially perpendicular to the rollers 110RL and so that thepusher bar 110PR does not interfere with the pick head 270. As can beseen in FIG. 10B, the bot 110 is in a transport configuration where atleast one case unit would be supported on the rollers 110RL (e.g. therollers collectively form the payload bed). In the transportconfiguration the tines 273A-273E of the pick head 270 areinterdigitated with the rollers 110RL and are located below (along the Zdirection) a case unit support plane RSP (see FIG. 10 ) of the rollers110RL. The pusher bar 110PR is configured with slots 351 (FIG. 10C) intowhich the tines 273A-273E pass where sufficient clearance is providedwithin the slots 351 to allow the tines to move below the case unitsupport plane RSP and to allow free movement of the pusher bar 110PRwithout interference from the tines 273A-273E. The pusher bar 110PR alsoincludes one or more apertures through which the rollers 110RL passwhere the apertures are sized to allow free rotation of the rollersabout their respective axes. As may be realized, the independentlyoperable pusher bar 110PR does not interfere with the rollers 110PR,extension of the transfer arm 110PA in the transverse direction (e.g. Ydirection) and the lifting/lowering of the pick head 270.

As noted above, because the pusher bar 110PR is a separate, standaloneaxis of the bot 110 that operates free of interference from the pickhead 270 extension and lift axes, the pusher bar 110PR can be operatedsubstantially simultaneously with the lifting and/or extension of thetransfer arm 110PA. The combined axis moves (e.g. the simultaneousmovement of the pusher bar 110PR with the transfer arm 110PA extensionand/or lift axes) provides for increased payload handling throughput andeffects the ordered (e.g. according to the predetermined load outsequence) multi-pick of two or more case units from a common pickingaisle, in one common pass of the picking aisle. For example, referringto FIGS. 10-10A during a transfer arm 110PA multi-pick/place sequencethe pusher bar 110PR is prepositioned (as the case unit(s) and/orpickface are being picked and transferred into the payload section110PL) to a location that is a predetermined distance X2 away from thecontact depth X3 (e.g. the depth of the tines occupied by the caseunit(s) and/or pickface CU when being picked/placed from a storage spaceor other case unit holding location) (FIG. 14 , Block 1100). Thedistance X2 is a minimized distance that only allows sufficientclearance between pusher bar 110PR and the case unit(s) to allow thecase unit(s) to be seated on the rollers 110RL. As the case unit(s) CUare lowered onto the rollers 110RL (FIG. 14 , Block 1110) the distancetravelled by the pusher bar 110PR to contact the case unit(s) CU is ashorter distance X2 when compared to moving from a back side 402(relative to the lateral direction and an access side 401 of the payloadsection 110PL) of the payload section 110PL a distance X4 as withconventional transport vehicles. When the case unit(s) CU are lowered bythe transfer arm 110PA and transferred to the rollers 110RL so as to besolely supported by the rollers 110RL, the pusher bar 110PR is actuatedto forward (relative to the lateral direction and an access side 401 ofthe payload section 110PL) justify the case unit(s) CU (FIG. 14 , Block1120). For example, the pusher bar 110PB may push the case unit(s) CUlaterally in the Y direction so that the case unit(s) contact the fence110PF (which is located at the access side 401 of the payload section110PL so that a case unit reference datum may be formed through contactbetween the case unit(s) CU and the fence 110PF. In one aspect thepusher bar 110PR may engage or otherwise grip the case unit(s) CU duringtransport of the case units (e.g. so as to hold the case unit(s) againstthe fence 110PF) for maintaining the case unit(s) CU in a predeterminedspatial relationship with each other and a reference frame REF (FIG. 6 )of the bot 110 (FIG. 14 , Block 1130). When placing the case unit(s) thepusher bar 110PR, after justifying the case unit(s) CU against the fence110PF, is withdrawn (e.g. in the Y direction) from contact with the caseunit(s) CU (FIG. 14 , Block 1140). Substantially immediately after thepusher bar 110PR disengages the case unit(s) CU one or more of the liftaxis (e.g. in the Z direction) and extension axis (e.g. in the Ydirection) of the transfer arm 110PA are actuated substantiallysimultaneously with the withdrawing movement of the pusher bar 110PR(FIG. 14 , Block 1150). In one aspect both the lift and extension axesare actuated when the pusher bar is withdrawn from contact with the caseunit(s) CU while in other aspect one of the lift and extension axes isactuated. As may be realized, the simultaneous movement of the transferarm 110PA lift axis and/or extension axis with the withdrawal of thepusher bar 110PR as well as the decreased distance the pusher moves tojustify the case unit(s) CU decreases the time needed to transfer caseunit(s) CU to and from the bot 110 and increases throughput of thestorage and retrieval system 100.

As described herein, referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 12 , the bot 110 isconfigured to transport pickfaces between the picking aisles 130A andthe transfer/handoff stations TS and buffer stations BS. In one aspect,the control server 120 is configured to command the bot 110, and effectwith the bot 110 outbound flow (which may also be referred to as anorder fulfillment stream, outbound stream(s) or order fulfillment)sortation of case order(s) independent of the pick order of cases fromthe storage area by the bot 110 forming a pickface. In one aspect, thebot controller 110C is configured to command the bot 110, and effectwith the bot 110 outbound flow sortation of case order(s) independent ofthe pick order of cases from the storage area by the bot 110 forming apickface. In still other aspects, the control server 120 and the botcontroller 110C are both configured to command the bot 110, and effectwith the bot 110 outbound flow sortation of case order(s) independent ofthe pick order of cases from the storage area by the bot 110 forming apickface. Thus, the control server 120 and/or the bot controller 110Cis/are configured to set the outbound case flow, at least in part withbot 110 sortation of the cases carried in common by the bot 110 anddecoupled from the pick order of the cases by the bot 110 from storage.As will be described below, the bot 110 is configured to transfer afirst pickface PCF1 having any suitable number of case units thereinfrom the picking aisles 130A and place second pickface PGF2, that isdifferent than the first pickface PCF1, onto a common surface CS (suchas of a rack shelf RTS) of the transfer/handoff station TS (or bufferstation BS) that is common to both the bot 110 and the lift 150B. Thismay be referred to for description purposes as outbound flow sortationwith the bot at transfer stations (and/or at buffer stations). As willalso be described below, the first and second pickfaces, in one aspect,have at least one case unit that is common to both the first and secondpickfaces. In one aspect, as described herein, the bot 110 is configuredto build the first pickface on the fly, e.g. during traverse from afirst pick location in the picking aisles 130A to placement of thesecond pickface at the transfer/handoff station TS, in amulti-pick/place sequence. The controller 110C of the bot 110 isconfigured to effect the on the fly building of the first pickface PCF1(or any other pickface picked by the bot 110). In one aspect, the bot110 is also configured to pick/build a pickface PCF3 that is differentthan the first pickface PCF1 and place the different pickface PCF3 on ashelf (such as another rack shelf RTS stacked above or below the rackshelf forming the common surface CS) of the transfer/handoff station TS(or buffer station BS). The bot 110 includes case manipulation, asdescribed herein. The bot has picked the first pickface PCF1 and isconfigured to further pick the second pickface PCF2 from one or morecase units (forming the different pickface PCF3) from the rack shelf RTS(or other location such as a storage shelf in the picking aisles) andplace the different pickface PCF3 on the common surface CS. As may berealized, the lift 150B, in one aspect is configured to pick the secondpickface PCF2 from the transfer/handoff station TS. In other aspects,the lift 150 is configured, as described herein, to pick a thirdpickface PCF4 from the common surface CS (such as the rack transfershelf RTS) of the transfer/handoff station TS (or buffer station BS)where the third pickface PCF4 is different than the first and secondpickfaces PCF1, PCF2 and the common case is common to the first, secondand third pickfaces PCF1, PCF2, PCF4.

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, as may be realized, in themulti-pick/place sequence multiple case units are substantiallysimultaneously carried and manipulated within the payload section 110PLto further increase throughput of the storage and retrieval system 100and to effect the multi-pick/place sequence in accordance with apredetermined order out sequence. Referring also to FIG. 1 , the botreceives pick and place commands from, for example, control server 120(and/or warehouse management system 2500) and the bot controller 110Cexecutes those commands for forming the ordered multi-pick. Here the bot110 enters the common aisle 130A1 from, for example, the transfer deck130B for making a single or common pass through the picking aisle 130A1during which the bot 110 picks two or more case units according to thepredetermined order out sequence (FIG. 15 , Block 1201A). In one aspectthe manipulation of the case units CU is a sorting of the case units (inother words picking and placing of case units according to thepredetermined load out sequence) where the cases are positioned on thetransfer arm 110PA for picking/placement of the case units and/orpositioned so that the case units are not transferred and remain on thetransfer arm 110PA while other case units are transferred to and fromthe transfer arm 110PA. Here, the bot 110 travels through the commonpicking aisle 130A1 in the direction of arrow XC and stops at apredetermined storage space 130S1, according to the predetermined orderout sequence, where the bot 110 picks one or more case units from thepredetermined storage space 130S1 with a common transfer arm 110PA whereplacement of the case units on the common transfer arm 110PA correspondsto the predetermined order out sequence as will be described in greaterdetail below (e.g. the case units are sorted on-the-fly, e.g. duringtransport, with the bot 110).

As an example of case manipulation on the bot 110, referring also toFIGS. 10B-10E, case unit(s) CUA may be picked from a case unit holdinglocation (e.g. such as storage spaces 130S in a common picking aisle foreffecting the ordered multi-pick, and in other aspects from a liftinterface station TS, and/or a case unit buffer station BS located in apicking aisle or on the transfer deck) and transferred into the payloadsection 110PL (FIG. 15 , Block 1201B). As the case unit(s) CUA is beingtransferred into the payload section 110PL the pusher bar 110PR may bepre-positioned (FIG. 15 , Block 1204) adjacent the fence 110PF so thatthe pusher bar 110PR is positioned between the case unit(s) CUA and thefence 110PF when the case unit(s) CUA is lowered for transfer to therollers 110RL (FIG. 15 , Block 1205). The pusher bar 110PR is actuatedto push the case unit(s) CUA (resting on the rollers 110RL) in the Ydirection towards the back (e.g. rear) 402 of the payload section 110PLso that the case unit(s) CUA contacts a justification surface 273JS(FIG. 10 ) of the tines 273A-273E and is justified to the back 402 ofthe payload section 110PL (FIG. 15 , Block 1210).

In one aspect, the bot 110 continues to traverse the common pickingaisle 130A1 in the same direction XC (e.g. so that all of the case unitsin the ordered multi-pick are picked in the common pass of the pickingaisle with the bot 110 travelling in a single direction) and stops atanother predetermined storage space 130S according to the predeterminedorder out sequence. As noted above, the pusher bar 110PR remains incontact with (e.g. grips) the case unit(s) CUA during transport of thecase unit(s) between case unit holding locations so that the caseunit(s) CUA remains in a predetermined location at the back 402 of thepayload section 110PL (and/or at a predetermined locationlongitudinally) relative to the reference frame REF of the bot 110 (FIG.15 , Block 1215). To pick subsequent case units, from for example, theother storage space 130S2 of the common picking aisle 130A1 the pusherbar 110PR is moved in the Y direction to disengage the case unit(s) CUAand the lift and extension axes of the transfer arm 110PA are actuatedto retrieve another case unit(s) CUB from the other storage space 130S2(or in other aspects from e.g. a lift interface/handoff station TSand/or a buffer station BS as noted above) (FIG. 15 , Block 1220). Whilethe case unit(s) CUB are being picked the pusher bar 110PR is positionedin the Y direction adjacent the back 402 of the payload section 110PL soas to be located between the case units CUA and the justificationsurface 273JS of the tines 273A-273E (FIG. 15 , Block 1225). The caseunit(s) CUB are transferred into the payload section and lowered/placedon the rollers 110RL (FIG. 15 , Block 1230) so that the case units CUA,CUB are arranged relative to each other along the Y axis. The pusher bar110PR is actuated in the Y direction to push the case units CUA, CUBtowards the fence 110PF to forward justify the case units CUA, CUB (FIG.15 , Block 1234) and grip/hold the case units CUA, CUB for transport(FIG. 15 , Block 1235). As may be realized, in one aspect the case unitsCUA, CUB are placed at a case unit holding location together as a unitwhile in other aspects the case units CUA, CUB are sorted, e.g.transported to and placed at separate positions of a common case unitholding location or at different case unit holding locations (FIG. 15 ,Block 1240) as will be described in greater detail below. For example,referring also to FIGS. 7-9 , the bot 110 carrying the orderedmulti-pick payload transfers the case units of the ordered multi-pick toone or more interface stations TS (which include buffer shelves7000A-7000L) corresponding to output lifts 150B1, 150B2.

As may be realized, in one aspect where the bots 110 “parallel park”into an interface station TS (FIG. 7 ) or turn into a pier 130BD (FIG. 8) the spacing between bots travelling on the high speed bot travel pathHSTP of the transfer deck 130B (FIG. 2A) is such that the botinterfacing with the interface station TS is able to slow down and turninto the interface station TS substantially without interference fromand/or interference with another bot 110 travelling along the transferdeck 130B. In other aspects, the bots travelling on the transfer deckmay drive around the bots turning into the interface stations as thetransfer deck(s) 130B is substantially open and configured for theundeterministic traversal of bots 110 across and along the transferdeck(s) 130B as described above. Where the case units of the multi-pickare placed at different positions of, for example, a common buffer shelfof interface/handoff station 7000A-7000L of the lifts 150B1, 150B2 thebot 110 places a first one of the case units CUB (corresponding to, forexemplary purposes pickface 7 in FIG. 9 which in this example includes asingle case unit) in a first position of the buffer shelf 7000B andplaces the second one of the case units CUA (corresponding to, forexemplary purposes pickface 5 in FIG. 9 which in this example includes asingle case unit) in a second position of the buffer shelf 7000B. Wherethe case units of the multi-pick are placed at a common case unitholding location the bot 110 places both case units CUA, CUB as a unit(e.g. a pickface) at for example, a common position of buffer shelf7000A (corresponding to, for exemplary purposes pickface 9 in FIG. 9which in this example, includes two case units).

Where the case units CUA, CUB are sorted (FIG. 15 , Block 1250) forplacement at separate positions of a common case holding location or atdifferent case holding locations, the case units CUA, CUB are separatedfrom each other in the payload section 110PL. For example, the pick head270 of the transfer arm 110PA may be moved in the Z direction to liftthe case units CUA, CUB from the rollers 110RL by an amount sufficientto allow the pusher bar 110PR to pass beneath the case unit(s) (FIG. 16, Block 1250A). As the case units CUA, CUB are lifted the pusher bar110PR is positioned along the Y direction so as to be located betweenthe case units CUA, CUB (see FIG. 10E) (FIG. 16 , Block 1250B). The pickhead 270 is lowered so that the case units CUA, CUB are transferred tothe rollers 110RL and so that the pusher bar is inserted between thecase units CUA, CUB (FIG. 16 , Block 1250C). The pusher bar 110PR ismoved in the Y direction (e.g. to separate the case unit(s)) to movecase unit(s) CUA towards the back 402 of the payload section 110PL (e.g.against the justification surface 273JS of the tines 273A-273E or anyother suitable position) while the case unit(s) CUB remain at the frontof the payload section 110PL adjacent the fence 110PF (e.g. as shown inFIG. 10C) (FIG. 16 , Block 1250D). As may be realized, where the caseunits are held against the justification surface 273JS of the tinesduring transport, the pusher bar is moved in the Y direction (e.g. toseparate the case unit(s)) to move case unit(s) CUB towards the front401 of the payload section 110PL (e.g. against the fence 110PF or anyother suitable position) while the case unit(s) CUA remain at the backof the payload section 110PL adjacent the justification surface 273JS.The pusher bar 110PR may also be moved in the Y direction to re-justifythe case unit(s) CUB against the fence 110PF to position the caseunit(s) on the tines 273A-273E for placement at a case unit holdinglocation (FIG. 16 , Block 1250E). As may be realized, with the caseunit(s) CUA being positioned substantially against the justificationsurface 273JS of the tines 273A-273E (e.g. of the pick head 270) thecase unit(s) CUB can be placed at a case unit holding locationsubstantially without interference from the case unit(s) CUA (FIG. 16 ,Block 1250F), e.g. the case unit CUA is free from contacting case unitsdisposed at the case unit holding location. The case unit(s) CUA islowered/transferred back into the payload section 110PL (e.g. byretracting and lowering the transfer arm 110PA) (FIG. 16 , Block 1250G).The pusher bar 110PR, which is pre-positioned between the justificationsurface 273JS and the case unit(s) CUA, pushes the case unit(s) CUA,which is disposed on the rollers 110RL, against the fence 110PF toforward justify the case unit(s) CUA for placement at another case unitholding location (e.g. different than the holding location that caseunit(s) CUB were placed) (FIG. 16 , Block 1250H). The pusher bar 110PRremains against the case unit(s) CUA for gripping (e.g. with the fence)the case unit(s) during transport to the other case unit holdinglocation (FIG. 16 , Block 1250I). The pusher bar 110PR moves away fromthe case unit(s) CUA and the transfer arm is actuated to lift and extendthe pick head 270 for placing the case unit(s) CUA at the other caseunit holding location (FIG. 16 , Block 1250J).

An example of a bot 110 case unit(s) transfer transaction including acase unit(s) multi-pick and place operation with on the fly sortation ofthe case units for creating a mixed pallet load MPL (as shown in FIG.1C) according to a predetermined order out sequence and/or in thepredetermined order sequence (e.g. an order out sequence) of pickeditems according to, for example, an order fulfilling a customer one ormore customer orders, in which case units CU are sequenced for placementin one or more bag(s), tote(s) or other container(s) TOT at an operatorstation 160EP (as shown in FIG. 21 ) as will be described with respectto FIGS. 9 and 11-13 in accordance with an aspects of the disclosedembodiment. For example, referring to FIG. 11 a customer order mayrequire case unit(s) 7 to be delivered to output lift 150B1 and caseunits 5 to also be delivered to output lift 150B1 (in other aspects, itis noted that customer orders may require case units carried by a commonbot 110 to be delivered to different output lifts 150B1, 150B2 (FIG. 9 )such that the transfer of the case units carried by the common bot 110to different output lifts occurs in a manner substantially similar tothat described herein). In the aspects of the disclosed embodimentdescribed herein the output lift 150B1 (e.g. each of the output lifts150B1, 150B2 of the storage and retrieval system/order fulfillmentsystem) defines a fulfillment course or pathway of mixed case pickfacesoutbound from the storage array to a load fill where the mixed casepickfaces enter and exit the fulfillment course in substantially thesame order. As may be realized, while the input and output lifts 150A,150B are described as vertically reciprocating lifts it should beunderstood that in other aspects the input and output lifts 150A, 150Bare any suitable transport modules for transporting case pickfaces toand from the storage structure 130. For example, in other aspects thelift modules 150A, 150B are one or more of vertically reciprocatinglifts, any suitable automated material handling systems, conveyors,bots, turntables, roller beds, multilevel vertical conveyor (e.g.paternoster conveyor) that operate synchronously or asynchronously. Toefficiently use each bot 110 in the storage and retrieval system 100 thecontroller, such as control server 120, determines which pickingaisle(s) case units 5, 7 are located. The controller also determineswhich inbound case unit(s) ICU are to be stored in the picking aisle(s)from which case units 5, 7 (e.g. the outbound case units) are to bepicked. The controller sends commands to a bot 110 on a level where caseunits 5, 7 are located to pick one or more inbound case units ICU froman interface station TS of one or more lift modules 150A in a mannersimilar to that described above (FIG. 17 , Block 1400A). The bot 110grips the case unit(s) ICU (FIG. 17 , Block 1420) and transports thecase unit(s) to one or more storage space 130 within one or more pickingaisle 130A2 (FIG. 17 , Block 1421) where at least one of the pickingaisles in which the inbound case units are placed includes one of theoutbound case units 5, 7. As may be realized, where the inbound caseunits are placed at different storage locations 130S the inbound caseunits are sorted (FIG. 17 , Block 1425) as described above where one ormore case unit(s) are transferred to one case unit holding location,such as a storage space 130S or buffer, (FIG. 17 , Block 1430) whilecase units that are not transferred are returned to the payload sectionof the bot 110 for transfer to another case unit holding location (FIG.17 , Block 1435).

As may be realized, the outbound case units 5, 7 are located in the sameor different picking aisles and are retrieved by one bot 110 ordifferent bots 110 depending on a proximity of the outbound case unitsand the predetermined storage position(s) of the inbound case unit(s).For example, referring to FIG. 11 , the bot 110 picks an inbound caseunit ICU from interface station TS of lift module 150A for placement inpicking aisle 130A2 (in a manner substantially similar to that describedabove), which is the aisle case unit 5 is located. Case unit 7 in thisexample is located in picking aisle 130A1. After placement of theinbound case unit ICU the bot continues to travel along picking aisle130A2 in a common pass (e.g. a single traversal of the picking aisle ina single direction) to pick the outbound case unit 5 (FIG. 17 , Block1400). Where it is more efficient to have a single bot 110 pick multiplecase units, the outbound case unit 5 is justified on the bot 110 asdescribed above (FIG. 17 , Block 1405) and the bot travels to thelocation of another case unit, such as outbound case unit 7 in aisle130A1 (it is noted that where a second outbound case is located in acommon aisle with the first outbound case both outbound case units arepicked in a common pass of the picking aisle with the common transferarm 110PA (FIG. 6 ) of the bot 110). The second outbound case unit(s) 7is picked with the common transfer arm 110PA (FIG. 17 , Block 1410) andboth case units 5, 7 are transferred and placed at one or more ofperipheral buffer station BS and interface station TS of a pickfacetransport system such as lift module 150B (FIG. 17 , Blocks 1420-1435)in a manner substantially similar to that described above with respectto the placement of the inbound case unit(s). Where is it more efficientto have a two different bots 110 pick a respective one of case units 5,7 after picking the respective outbound case (FIG. 17 , Block 1400) thecase unit is gripped (FIG. 17 , Block 1420) and transferred to andplaced at one of the peripheral buffer station BS or the interfacestation TS of outbound lift 150B (FIG. 17 , Block 1421-1435) asdescribed herein. In one aspect, where an outbound case unit, such ascase unit 5 is placed at a peripheral buffer station BS a different bot110, than the bot that placed the case unit 5 at the peripheral bufferstation BS, transfers the case unit 5 to the interface station TS whilein other aspects the same bot 110 returns to the peripheral bufferstation BS to transfer case unit 5 to the interface station TS. In theaspects of the disclosed embodiment described herein, the bufferstations BS and/or the transfer stations TS (e.g. at least one pickfacehandoff station) commonly supports more than one of the mixed casepickfaces defining a portion of the mixed case pickfaces outbound fromthe storage array/structure 130 entering the fulfillment course in anordered sequence of pickfaces based on a predetermined sequence of theload fill. In one or more of the aspects of the disclosed embodimentdescribed herein, the buffer station BS and/or transfer stations TSforms a common pickface transfer interface for the outbound lift(s)150B1, so that the commonly supported pickfaces are picked in commonwith the outbound lift(s) 150B1. In one or more of the aspects of thedisclosed embodiment described herein, each of the buffer stations BSand/or transfer stations TS commonly supports more than one of the mixedcase pickfaces defining a portion of the mixed case pickfaces outboundfrom the storage array (see for exemplary purposes only pickfaces 1-4 inFIG. 9 ) in an ordered sequence of pickfaces based on the predeterminedsequence of the load fill. In one or more aspects of the disclosedembodiment described herein, the mixed case pickfaces defining theportion of the mixed case pickfaces outbound from the storagearray/structure 130 in the ordered sequence and commonly supported onthe buffer station BS and/or transfer station TS is based on an orderedsequence of pickfaces on another buffer station BS and/or transferstation TS of another fulfillment course (see e.g. the mixed casesoutbound from the outbound lift 150B2). In one or more aspects of thedisclosed embodiment, any suitable controller, such as controller 120 isin communication with the bot(s) 110 and is configured to effectplacement of pickfaces on the buffer station BS and or transfer stationTS based on the ordered sequence of pickfaces.

In one aspect the outbound case units are picked and transferred as aunit (e.g. a pickface) by a common transfer arm 110PA (FIG. 6 ) of bot110. Referring now to FIG. 12 again a customer order may require caseunit(s) 7 to be delivered to output lift 150B1 and case units 5 to alsobe delivered to output lift 150B1 (in other aspects, it is noted thatcustomer orders may require case units carried by a common bot 110 to bedelivered to different output lifts 150B1, 150B2 (FIG. 9 ) such that thetransfer of the case units carried by the common bot 110 to differentoutput lifts occurs in a manner substantially similar to that describedherein). As described above, the controller determines which inboundcase unit(s) ICU are to be stored in the picking aisle(s) from whichcase units 5, 7 (e.g. the outbound case units) are to be picked. Thecontroller sends commands to a bot 110 on a level where case units 5, 7are located to pick one or more inbound case units ICU as a unit (e.g.pickface) from an interface station TS of a lift module 150A in a mannersimilar to that described above (FIG. 17 , Block 1400A). The bot 110grips the pickface PF1 (FIG. 17 , Block 1420), transports the pickfacePF1 to a storage space 130 within the picking aisle 130A2 (FIG. 17 ,Block 1421) where the outbound case units 5, 7 are located and placesthe pickface PF1 into a storage space 130S (FIG. 17 , Block 1430). It isnoted that since the whole pickface is transferred to a common storagespace and no case units are left on the bot that the flow, in thisexample, does not proceed to block 1435 of FIG. 17 .

After placing the inbound pickface PF1, the bot 110 continues to travelthrough aisle 130A2 in a common pass (e.g. a single traversal of thepicking aisle in a single direction) to the storage space holdingoutbound case units 5, 7 (which are arranged on the storage shelvesadjacent one another so as to be picked simultaneously as outboundpickface PF2). The bot 110 picks pickface PF2 with the common transferarm 110PA (FIG. 6 ) (FIG. 17 , Block 1415), grips the pickface PF2 (FIG.17 , Block 1420) and transports the pickface PF2 (FIG. 17 , Block 1421)to the outbound lift 150B1. In one aspect the case units 5, 7 of thepickface PF2 are placed at one of the peripheral buffer station BS orthe interface station TS as a unit (FIG. 17 , Block 1430). In anotheraspect the case units 5, 7 of the pickface are separated and justified(in a manner similar to that described above) for placement in differentlocations (FIG. 17 , Block 1425). For example, bot 110 places case unit7 at the peripheral buffer station BS (FIG. 17 , Block 1430), returnscase unit 5 to the payload area of the bot 110 (FIG. 17 , Block 1435),grips the case unit 5 (FIG. 17 , Block 1420), transports the case unit 5to the interface station TS (FIG. 17 , Block 1421) and transfers thecase unit 5 to the interface station (FIG. 17 , Block 1430).

In another aspect, referring to FIG. 13 , the outbound case units 5, 7are picked from different storage locations within a common aisle 130A2with the common transfer arm 110PA (FIG. 6 of the bot 110. Here, the bot110 transfers one or more inbound case units ICU to one or more storagelocations in the manner described above where at least one of theinbound case units ICU is located in a common picking aisle 130A2 withthe outbound case units 5, 7. After placing at least one inbound caseunit at a predetermined storage location 130S of aisle 130A2 the bot 110continues to travel through picking aisle 130A1, in a common pass of thepicking aisle 130A2, and picks case unit 5 from storage space 130S1 inthe manner described above (FIG. 17 , Block 1400). The case unit(s) 5 isjustified on the bot 110 towards the rear of the payload section 110PLas described above (FIG. 17 , Block 1405). The bot 110 continues totravel through the picking aisle 130A1 in a common pass of the pickingaisle and picks case unit 7 from a different storage space 130S2 withthe common transfer arm 110PA so that both case unit(s) 7, 5 are locatedadjacent one another on the common transfer arm 110PA (FIG. 17 , Block1410). As may be realized, in one aspect, the controller 110C isconfigured to effect picking of the case unit(s) in any suitable ordersuch as, for example, an order that is opposite an order in which thecase unit(s) are placed.

In this multi-pick example, the case unit holding location(s) correspondto storage spaces 130S of the picking aisles 130 but in other aspectsthe case unit holding location(s) include input lift modules 150A1,150A2 (where a direct transfer between bots and the lift occurs),interface or peripheral buffer stations TS, BS for interfacing with theinput lift modules 150A1, 150A2, (where an indirect transfer between thelift modules and the bots occurs) and storage spaces 130S (picking fromthe interface stations TS and the input lift modules 150A with the bot110 is noted where case units are needed for a predetermined order outsequence are not located in the storage spaces 130S but are being inputinto the storage rack array in a just in time manner to be deliveredsubstantially directly to the output lift(s) 150B1, 150B2).

The bot 110 grips both case units 7, 5 within the payload section 110PLin the manner described above and exits the picking aisle 130A1 (FIG. 17, Block 1420). The bot travels along the transfer deck 130B andinterfaces with output lift 150B1 (FIG. 17 , Block 1421). The botseparates the case units 7, 5 within the payload section 110PL, asdescribed above, so that case unit(s) in any suitable manner such as,for example, so that case unit(s) 7 is justified towards the front ofthe payload section 110PL and case unit(s) 5 is justified towards theback of the payload section 110PL (FIG. 17 , Block 1425). The case unit7 is transferred to the peripheral buffer station BS (FIG. 17 , Block1430). The bot retracts the transfer arm 110PA to return the caseunit(s) 5 to the payload section 110PL (FIG. 17 , Block 1435) and gripsthe case unit 5 (FIG. 17 , Block 1420). The case unit(s) 5 istransported to the interface station TS of output lift 150B1 (FIG. 17 ,Block 1421), justified toward the front of the payload section 110PL(FIG. 17 , Block 1425), as described above, and transferred to transferstation TS, as described above (FIG. 17 , Block 1430). In other aspects,depending on the predetermined case unit output sequence, the bot 110places both case unit(s) 7, 5 at a common location/position, such as atone of output lifts 150B1, 150B2. For example, pickface 20 on shelf7000H (FIG. 9 ) may include both case units 7, 5 such that the bot 110places both case units as a multi-case unit pickface at a singleposition of shelf 7000H. As may be realized, the case unit(s) placed atthe buffer station BS are, in one aspect, transferred to the interfacestation TS by a bot 110 or, in other aspects, by any suitable conveyorthat connects the buffer station BS to the interface station TS. In oneaspect, where the case unit(s) are transferred from the buffer stationBS to the interface station TS by a bot 110 that transfer is anopportunistic transfer such that a bot 110 travelling along the transferdeck, for example, in route for another task (e.g. transferringpickface(s) to storage, sorting pickfaces, transferring pickface(s) fromstorage, etc.) travelling by the buffer station BS stops to pick thepickface from the buffer station BS and transfer the pickface to theinterface station TS while in the process of performing the other task.

In the examples described herein the transfer of case units between thebots 110 and the lifts 150 occurs passively through the interfacestations TS as described above. As an example of the transfer, referringto FIG. 18 , the autonomous transport vehicle is positioned relative tothe interface station TS in a manner similar to that described abovewith respect to the slats 1210S and/or a locating features 130F (FIG. 18, Block 1800). The transfer arm 110PA (e.g. end effector) of the bot 110extends to transfer a pickface to the interface station TS where thefingers 273A-273E of the transfer arm 110PA interface with, for example,the slats 1210S of the interface station TS (FIG. 18 , Block 1801). Asmay be realized, and as noted above, multiple pickfaces may be placed onthe interface station TS (e.g. multiple individual pickfaces aresimultaneously held on the interface station) for simultaneous ofindependent transfer to the lift 150. The lift 150 is moved to positionthe load handling device LHD, LHDA, LHDB adjacent the interface stationTS (FIG. 18 , Block 1802). The load handling device LHD, LHDA, LHDB isextended to lift the pickface from the interface station and transferthe pickface to the lift 150 where the fingers 4273 of the load handlingdevice LHD, LHDA, LHDB interface with the slats 1210S of the interfacestation TS in the manner described above with respect to, for example,FIG. 4B (FIG. 18 , Block 1803). As may be realized, the interfacestation TS has no moving parts and the transfer of the pickface(s)between the bots 110 and the lifts 150 through the interface station TSis a passive transfer. As may also be realized, transfer of pickfacesfrom the lifts 150 to the bots 110 may occur in a manner substantiallyopposite that described above with respect to FIG. 18 .

In one aspect, the pickface, built by the bot 110 (e.g. in the mannerdescribed above), that is transferred to (e.g. placed to), for example,the interface station TS (and/or buffer station BS) is not the samepickface that is picked from the interface station TS (and/or bufferstation BS) by the lift 150. For example, referring to FIG. 9 , the bot110 builds a first pickface from the storage spaces 130S within the rackmodules RM (e.g. FIG. 2A) that includes individual pickfaces 7 and 5(FIG. 19 , Block 1900). The bot 110 transfers the first pickface to andplaces the first pickface on, for example, shelf 7000B of interfacestation TS for transfer to a lift 150 (FIG. 19 , Block 1910). As may berealized, while in this example, the individual pickfaces 5, 7 (e.g.forming the first pickface) are placed on a common shelf 7000B forexemplary purposes only, in other aspects the individual pickfaces 5, 7are placed on different shelves 7000A-7000F so that the pickface placedon the shelves by the bot 110 is different than the first pickface butincludes at least one case unit in common with the first pickface. Forexample, the first pickface is broken up such that a different pickfaceincluding individual pickface 5 is placed on shelf 7000B while anotherdifferent pickface including individual pickface 7 is placed on, forexample, shelf 7000H. A lift, such as lift 150B1 picks a second pickfacefrom one or more shelves 7000A-7000F (e.g. common to both the bot 110and the lift 150B1) of the transfer stations TS (FIG. 19 , Block 1920).Here the second pickface is different than the first pickface butincludes at least one of the individual pickfaces 5, 7 so that at leastone case unit is common between the first pickface and the secondpickface.

Similarly, in one aspect, the pickface that is transferred to (e.g.placed to), for example, the interface station TS (and/or buffer stationBS) by the inbound lift 150 (see lift 150A in FIG. 1 ) is not the samepickface that is picked from the interface station TS (and/or bufferstation BS) by the bot 110. In one aspect, the control server 120 isconfigured to command the bot 110, and effect with the bot 110 inboundflow (which may also be referred to as warehouse replenishment orinbound stream(s)) case sortation at a handoff station TS (and/or bufferstation BS) with the bot 110 forming a pickface, independent of the pickorder of cases from an input station by the lift 150. In one aspect, thebot controller 110C is configured to command the bot 110, and effectwith the bot 110 inbound flow case sortation at the handoff station TS(and/or buffer station BS) with the bot 110 forming the pickface,independent of the pick order of cases from an input station by the lift150. In still other aspects, the control server 120 and the botcontroller 110C are both configured to command the bot 110, and effectwith the bot 110 inbound flow case sortation at the handoff stations TS(and/or buffer station BS) with the bot 110 forming the pickface,independent of the pick order of cases from an input station by the lift150. Thus, the control server 120 and/or the bot controller 110C is/areconfigured to set the inbound case flow, at least in part with bot 110sortation of the cases carried in common by the both 110 and decoupledfrom the pick order of the cases by the lift 150. This may be referredto for description purposes as inbound flow case sortation with the bot110 at the handoff station TS (and/or buffer station BS). For example,referring to FIG. 9A, first pickfaces are transferred to one or morelifts 150A1, 150A2 from the input station(s) 1601N by the inboundconveyors 160CB (FIG. 20 , Block 2000). In this example, one of thefirst pickfaces includes a combination of individual pickfaces 5, 7while the other first pickface includes a combination of individualpickfaces 20, 22. The lift 150A1 places the respective first pickface 5,7 to shelf 7000B of interface station TS while lift 150A2 places theother respective first pickface 20, 22 to shelf 7000H of anotherinterface station TS on the same storage level 130L (FIG. 20 , Block2010). The bot 110 builds or otherwise picks a second pickface(s) fromthe interface station(s) TS so that the first pickface(s) placed on theshelve(s) 7000B, 7000H (e.g. common to both the bot 110 and a respectivelift 150A) by the lifts 150A1, 150A2 is/are different than the secondpickface but the second pickface includes at least one case unit incommon with the first pickface (FIG. 20 , Block 2020). For example, thefirst pickface 5, 7 is broken up such that a different pickfaceincluding individual pickface 5 (or individual pickface 7) is picked bythe bot 110 and/or the other first pickface 20, 22 is broken up suchthat a different pickface including individual pickface 20 (orindividual pickface 22) is picked by the bot 110. Here the secondpickface is different than the first pickface but includes at least oneof the individual pickfaces of the first pickface so that at least onecase unit is common between the first pickface and the second pickface.As may be realized, the second pickface may be broken up by the bot sothat a pickface placed on at least one storage shelf with the 110 isdifferent than the second pickface and where at least one case unit iscommon between the second pickface and the pickface placed on the atleast one storage shelf.

The output lifts 150B1, 150B2 transfer the ordered multi-pick(s) placedon the shelves 7000A-7000L by the bots 110 to the output station 160UTalso in accordance with the predetermined order out sequence. Forexample, referring again to FIG. 9 , the pickfaces 1-22 are picked bythe lifts 150B1, 150B2 in sequenced order so that the pickfaces 1-22 aredelivered to the output station 160UT in the predetermined order(indicated by, for example, the number associated with each caseunit/pickface illustrated in FIG. 9 ) needed to form the mixed palletload MPL (FIG. 1C) and/or in the predetermined order sequence (e.g. anorder out sequence) of picked items according to, for example, an order,fulfilling one or more customer orders, in which case units CU aresequenced for placement in one or more bag(s), tote(s) or othercontainer(s) TOT at an operator station 160EP. As such, each of theinterface stations TS of each lift 150B1, 150B2 forms a buffer thatholds one or more case unit(s) until the case unit(s) are needed andpicked by the respective lift 150B1, 150B2 for forming the mixed palletload.

Referring to FIG. 22 , in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment, storage spaces arrayed on racks along picking aisles areprovided (FIG. 22 , Block 1600). Multiple level decks are also provided(FIG. 22 , Block 1610), where at least one deck level of the multiplelevel decks communicates with each aisle, where the multiple level decksand aisles define a rolling surface for an autonomous transport vehicleat each level of the multiple level decks. Racks at multiple rack levelsare accessed from a respective rolling surface that is common to themultiple rack levels (FIG. 22 , Block 1620), where the racks aredisposed along at least one aisle at each level of the multiple leveldecks. In one aspect, a vertical pitch between rack levels varies for aportion of a respective aisle. In one aspect, the vertical pitch betweenat least two rack levels of the portion of the respective aisle isrelated to another vertical pitch between at least two other rack levelsof another aisle portion of the respective aisle so that the autonomoustransport vehicle effects multiple picks in an ordered sequence in acommon aisle pass. In one aspect, the vertical pitch between at leasttwo rack levels of the portion of the respective aisle is related toanother vertical pitch between at least two other rack levels of anotheraisle portion of the respective aisle so that the vertical pitch and theother vertical pitch effects substantially filling a vertical spacebetween the multiple deck levels with stored items.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, anautomated storage and retrieval system includes at least one autonomoustransport vehicle; a transfer deck that defines an undeterministictransport surface for the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, thetransfer deck having multiple travel lanes; at least one reciprocatinglift; and at least one pickface handoff station connected to thetransfer deck and interfacing between the at least one autonomoustransport vehicle on the transfer deck and the at least onereciprocating lift so that a pickface is transferred between the atleast one reciprocating and the at least one autonomous transportvehicle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one pickface handoff station is a passive handoff station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one pickface handoff station is configured to simultaneouslysupport independent pickface loads.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautomated storage and retrieval system further includes picking aislesconnected to the transfer deck where the at least one pickface handoffstation is disposed on an opposite side of the transfer deck than thepicking aisles.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one pickface handoff station is offset from the multiple travellanes so that autonomous transport vehicle interface with the at leastone pickface handoff station is undeterministic to autonomous transportvehicle travel along the multiple travel lanes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one autonomous transport vehicle includes an end effectorconfigured to transfer pickfaces to and from the at least one autonomoustransport vehicle, the at least one reciprocating lift includes an endeffector configured to transfer pickfaces to and from the at least onereciprocating lift, and the at least one pickface handoff stationincludes a static pickface support surface that is configured tointerface with at least one of the end effector of the at least oneautonomous transport vehicle and the end effector of the at least onereciprocating lift, the at least one reciprocating lift being rigidlyjoined to the transfer deck.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautomated storage and retrieval system further includes a buffer stationwith at least one shelf that buffers pickfaces between autonomoustransport vehicle picking and placement of pickfaces.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thebuffer station is disposed adjacent to the at least one pickface handoffstation.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thebuffer station includes an array of vertically stacked shelves stackedone above the other, each shelf being configured to buffer pickfacesbetween autonomous transport vehicle picking and placement of pickfaces.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thebuffer station is connected to the at least one pickface handoff stationthrough the at least one autonomous transport vehicle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, atleast one pickface handoff station includes position locating featuresto allow the at least one autonomous transport vehicle to positionitself relative to the at least one pickface handoff station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, anautomated storage and retrieval system includes at least one autonomoustransport vehicle having a transport vehicle end effector configured totransfer pickfaces to and from the at least one autonomous transportvehicle; a transfer deck that defines an undeterministic transportsurface for the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, the transferdeck having multiple travel lanes; at least one reciprocating lifthaving a lift end effector configured to transfer pickfaces to and fromthe at least one reciprocating lift; and at least one pickface handoffstation configured to interface with at least one of the transportvehicle end effector and the lift end effector to effect a pickfacetransfer between the at least one pickface handoff station and at leastone of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and the at leastone reciprocating lift.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one pickface handoff station is a passive handoff station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one pickface handoff station is configured to simultaneouslysupport independent pickface loads.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautomated storage and retrieval system further includes picking aislesconnected to the transfer deck where the at least one pickface handoffstation is disposed on an opposite side of the transfer deck than thepicking aisles.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one pickface handoff station is offset from the multiple travellanes so that autonomous transport vehicle interface with the at leastone pickface handoff station is undeterministic to autonomous transportvehicle travel along the multiple travel lanes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one pickface handoff station includes a pickface supportsurface that is configured to interface with at least one of thetransport vehicle end effector and the lift end effector.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautomated storage and retrieval system further includes a buffer stationdisposed adjacent to the at least one pickface handoff station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thebuffer station is connected to the at least one pickface handoff stationthrough the at least one autonomous transport vehicle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, atleast one pickface handoff station includes position locating featuresto allow the at least one autonomous transport to position itselfrelative to the at least one pickface handoff station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, amethod includes placing, with an autonomous transport vehicle, a firstpickface at a pickface handoff station; and picking, with areciprocating lift, a second pickface from the pickface handoff station,the second pickface being different than the first pickface; wherein thepickface handoff station is common to the autonomous transport vehicleand the reciprocating lift and at least one case unit is common betweenthe first pickface and the second pickface.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod further includes building a pickface adjacent at least onestorage shelf with the autonomous transport vehicle, where the pickfacebuilt adjacent the at least one storage shelf is different than thefirst pickface and where at least one case unit is common between thefirst pickface and the pickface built adjacent the at least one storageshelf.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, amethod includes picking, with an autonomous transport vehicle, a firstpickface from a storage shelf; buffering, with the autonomous transportvehicle, the first pickface on a stationary shelf of a pickface handoffstation; forming a second pickface at the stationary shelf, the secondpickface being different than the first pickface and comprising morethan one case in ordered sequence corresponding to a predetermined caseout order sequence of mixed cases where the first pickface and thesecond pickface have at least one case in common; and picking, with areciprocating lift, the second pickface from the stationary shelf.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thepickface handoff station includes more than one vertically stackedstationary shelves, wherein placing the first pickface on the stationaryshelf includes placing the first pickface on one of the more than onevertically stacked stationary shelves, and picking the second pickfacefrom the stationary shelf includes picking the second pickface from oneof the more than one vertically stacked stationary shelves.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment,wherein the second pickface picked by the reciprocating lift from thestationary shelf is different than the first pickface placed by theautonomous transport vehicle, where the stationary shelf is common tothe second pickface picked by the reciprocating lift and the firstpickface placed by the autonomous transport vehicle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, anautomated storage and retrieval system includes a three-dimensionalstorage array having multiple level racks in aisles, the aisles beingconfigured for autonomous transport vehicle travel in the aisles; and atransfer deck having an undeterministic transport surface on whichautonomous transport vehicles travel, the undeterministic transportsurface having more than one juxtaposed travel lane connecting theaisles.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themore than one juxtaposed travel lane are juxtaposed along a commonundeterministic transport surface between opposing sides of the transferdeck.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theaisles are joined to the transfer deck on one side of the transfer deck.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thetransfer deck has another side, different from the one side, and deckstorage racks distributed along the other side of the transfer deck sothat at least one part of the transfer deck is interposed between thedeck storage racks and the aisles.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautomated storage and retrieval system further includes lifts whereinthe deck storage racks are arranged along the other side so that thedeck storage racks communicate with the autonomous transport vehiclesfrom the transfer deck and with the lifts.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, amethod includes placing, with a reciprocating lift, a first pickface ata pickface handoff station; and picking, with an autonomous transportvehicle, a second pickface from the pickface handoff station; whereinthe pickface handoff station is common to the autonomous transportvehicle and the reciprocating lift and at least one case unit is commonbetween the first pickface and the second pickface.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod further includes placing a pickface on at least one storage shelfwith the autonomous transport vehicle, where the pickface placed on theat least one storage shelf is different than the second pickface andwhere at least one case unit is common between the second pickface andthe pickface placed on the at least one storage shelf.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thefirst pickface is different than the second pickface.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, anautomated storage and retrieval system includes at least one autonomoustransport vehicle; a storage array having rack aisles and multiplestorage rack modules disposed along the rack aisles; a transfer deckthat defines a transport surface for the at least one autonomoustransport vehicle; at least one reciprocating lift; and at least onepickface handoff station connected to the transfer deck and interfacingbetween the at least one autonomous transport vehicle on the transferdeck and the at least one reciprocating lift; where the at least oneautonomous transport vehicle is configured to transport a first pickfacebetween the rack aisles and the at least one pickface handoff station,and place a second pickface, different than the first pickface, onto acommon surface of the at least one pickface handoff station that iscommon to both the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and the atleast one reciprocating lift, the second pickface having a case that isa common case with the first pickface; and the at least onereciprocating lift is configured to pick a third pickface from thecommon surface of the at least one pickface handoff station, the thirdpickface being different than the first and second pickfaces and thecommon case is common to the first, second and third pickfaces.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one autonomous transport vehicle is configured to build thefirst pickface on the fly during traverse from a first pick location inthe rack aisles to placement of the second pickface at the at least onepickface handoff station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one autonomous transport vehicle comprises a controllerconfigured to effect building of the first pickface.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one autonomous transport vehicle is configured to transport adifferent pickface from the rack aisle and place the different pickfaceon a shelf of the at least one pickface handoff station, and transportthe second pickface from the shelf to the common surface.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, aproduct order fulfillment system includes at least one autonomoustransport vehicle configured for holding and transporting a pickface; astorage array having a transfer deck that defines a transport surfacefor the at least one autonomous transport vehicle; at least one otherpickface transport system connected to the transfer deck; and at leastone pickface handoff station disposed adjacent the transfer deck, the atleast one pickface handoff station being configured to transfer of thepickface between the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and theat least one other pickface transport system; wherein the at least oneother pickface transport system defines a fulfillment course of mixedcase pickfaces outbound from the storage array to a load fill, andwherein the at least one pickface handoff station commonly supports morethan one of the mixed case pickfaces defining a portion of the mixedcase pickfaces outbound from the storage array entering the fulfillmentcourse in an ordered sequence of pickfaces based on a predeterminedsequence of the load fill.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one pickface handoff station forms a common pickface transferinterface for the at least one other pickface transport system, so thatthe commonly supported pickfaces are picked in common with the at leastone other pickface transport system.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, eachof the at least one pickface handoff station commonly supports more thanone of the mixed case pickfaces defining a portion of the mixed casepickfaces outbound from the storage array in an ordered sequence ofpickfaces based on the predetermined sequence of the load fill.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themixed case pickfaces defining the portion of the mixed case pickfacesoutbound from the storage array in the ordered sequence and commonlysupported on the at least one pickface handoff station is based on anordered sequence of pickfaces on another pickface handoff station ofanother fulfillment course.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theproduct order fulfillment system further includes a controller incommunication with the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, thecontroller being configured to effect placement of pickfaces on the atleast one pickface handoff station based on the ordered sequence ofpickfaces.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theat least one other pickface transport system comprises a reciprocatinglift.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theat least one pickface handoff station having a stationary shelf thateffects transfer of the pickface between the at least one autonomoustransport vehicle and the at least one other pickface transport system.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclose embodiment anautomated storage and retrieval system comprises a pickface handoffstation; an autonomous transport vehicle configured to place a firstpickface at the pickface handoff station; and a reciprocating liftconfigured to pick a second pickface from the pickface handoff station,the second pickface being different than the first pickface; wherein thepickface handoff station is common to the autonomous transport vehicleand the reciprocating lift and at least one case unit is common betweenthe first pickface and the second pickface.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclose embodiment theautomated storage and retrieval system further comprises at least onestorage shelf, wherein the autonomous transport vehicle is furtherconfigured to build a pickface adjacent at least one storage shelf,where the pickface built adjacent the at least one storage shelf isdifferent than the first pickface and where at least one case unit iscommon between the first pickface and the pickface built adjacent the atleast one storage shelf.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclose embodiment anautomated storage and retrieval system comprises a storage shelf; apickface handoff station including a stationary shelf; an autonomoustransport vehicle configured to pick a first pickface from the storageshelf, buffer the first pickface on the stationary shelf of the pickfacehandoff station, form a second pickface at the stationary shelf, thesecond pickface being different than the first pickface and comprisingmore than one case in ordered sequence corresponding to a predeterminedcase out order sequence of mixed cases where the first pickface and thesecond pickface have at least one case in common; and a reciprocatinglift configured to pick the second pickface from the stationary shelf.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclose embodiment thepickface handoff station includes more than one vertically stackedstationary shelves, wherein the autonomous transport vehicle isconfigured to buffer the first pickface on the stationary shelf byplacing the first pickface on one of the more than one verticallystacked stationary shelves, and the reciprocating lift is configured topick the second pickface from the stationary shelf by picking the secondpickface from one of the more than one vertically stacked stationaryshelves.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclose embodiment thesecond pickface picked by the reciprocating lift from the stationaryshelf is different than the first pickface placed by the autonomoustransport vehicle, where the stationary shelf is common to the secondpickface picked by the reciprocating lift and the first pickface placedby the autonomous transport vehicle.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the aspects of the disclosed embodiment. Variousalternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in theart without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.Accordingly, the aspects of the disclosed embodiment are intended toembrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fallwithin the scope of the appended claims. Further, the mere fact thatdifferent features are recited in mutually different dependent orindependent claims does not indicate that a combination of thesefeatures cannot be advantageously used, such a combination remainingwithin the scope of the aspects of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: picking, with an autonomoustransport vehicle, a first pickface from a storage shelf; buffering,with the autonomous transport vehicle, the first pickface on astationary shelf of a pickface handoff station; forming a secondpickface at the stationary shelf, the second pickface being differentthan the first pickface and comprising more than one case in orderedsequence corresponding to a predetermined case out order sequence ofmixed cases where the first pickface and the second pickface have atleast one case in common; and picking, with a vertically reciprocatinglift, the second pickface from the stationary shelf.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the pickface handoff station includes more than onevertically stacked stationary shelves, wherein buffering the firstpickface on the stationary shelf includes placing the first pickface onone of the more than one vertically stacked stationary shelves, andpicking the second pickface from the stationary shelf includes pickingthe second pickface from one of the more than one vertically stackedstationary shelves.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondpickface picked by the vertically reciprocating lift from the stationaryshelf is different than the first pickface placed by the autonomoustransport vehicle, where the stationary shelf is common to the secondpickface picked by the vertically reciprocating lift and the firstpickface placed by the autonomous transport vehicle.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the autonomous transport vehicle includes an endeffector configured to transfer pickfaces to and from the autonomoustransport vehicle, the vertically reciprocating lift includes an endeffector configured to transfer pickfaces to and from the verticallyreciprocating lift, the method further comprising interfacing, with astatic pickface support surface the pickface handoff station, at leastone of the end effector of the autonomous transport vehicle and the endeffector of the vertically reciprocating lift, the verticallyreciprocating lift being rigidly joined to a transfer deck.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising positioning the autonomoustransport vehicle relative to the pickface handoff station with positionlocating features included on the pickface handoff station.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the pickface handoff station is a passivehandoff station.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pickface handoffstation is configured to simultaneously support independent pickfaceloads.
 8. A storage and retrieval system comprising: an autonomoustransport vehicle configured for picking a first pickface from a storageshelf; a stationary shelf of a pickface handoff station, the stationaryshelf having a static pickface support surface and being configured forbuffering the first pickface; wherein the autonomous transport vehicleis configured to form a second pickface at the stationary shelf, thesecond pickface being different than the first pickface and includingmore than one case in ordered sequence corresponding to a predeterminedcase out order sequence of mixed cases where the first pickface and thesecond pickface have at least one case in common; and a verticallyreciprocating lift configured to pick the second pickface from thestationary shelf.
 9. The storage and retrieval system of claim 8,wherein the pickface handoff station includes more than one verticallystacked stationary shelves, wherein the first pickface is placed on oneof the more than one vertically stacked stationary shelves to buffer thefirst pickface, and wherein the second pickface is picked from one ofthe more than one vertically stacked stationary shelves.
 10. The storageand retrieval system of claim 8, wherein the second pickface picked bythe vertically reciprocating lift from the stationary shelf is differentthan the first pickface placed by the autonomous transport vehicle,where the stationary shelf is common to the second pickface picked bythe vertically reciprocating lift and the first pickface placed by theautonomous transport vehicle.
 11. The storage and retrieval system ofclaim 8, wherein the autonomous transport vehicle includes an endeffector configured to transfer pickfaces to and from the autonomoustransport vehicle, the vertically reciprocating lift includes an endeffector configured to transfer pickfaces to and from the verticallyreciprocating lift, wherein the end effector is configured to interfacewith the stationary shelf, of the pickface handoff station, and the endeffector of the vertically reciprocating lift, the verticallyreciprocating lift being rigidly joined to a transfer deck.
 12. Thestorage and retrieval system of claim 8, wherein the autonomoustransport vehicle is positioned relative to the pickface handoff stationwith position locating features included on the pickface handoffstation.
 13. The storage and retrieval system of claim 8, wherein thepickface handoff station is a passive handoff station.
 14. The storageand retrieval system of claim 8, wherein the pickface handoff station isconfigured to simultaneously support independent pickface loads.